The Moments In Between
by skywolf666
Summary: Between the never-ending battles, the long marches, and even the quiet and stolen instances of exhausted peace, the husbands and wives, lovers, and families that make up the Ylissean army catch the moments they can as the world moves on without pause all around them. A collection of oneshots that explore the many different ties that bind two or more people together. Varied ratings.
1. Sun-kissed Mornings

**AN: Welcome to the first oneshot in my new collection, entitled "The Moments In Between". The votes came in, I closed the poll, and have decided it's time to start now that ATJ is finally behind me. So, this will be a collection of oneshots, based on whichever pairing, friendship, or family that I get inspired by, and it will continue as long as my muse allows for it. As most will expect, I likely will have a lot of SkyexChrom and TikixCail stuff in here, but there will be other pairings that I'll be experimenting with. The only thing I can tell you is that I don't know when said works will pop up. Below will be the little blurb you'll see in the beginning of every upload just to clarify what it is that you'll be reading, and... Well, I suppose the only thing I can ask of you is to keep on reading and reviewing while I keep on writing. I'll see you guys at the end of the fic! :3**

**Title: Sun-kissed Mornings.**

**Genre/Rating: Romance, General. (M)**

**Setting: One Year Into The Two-Year Timeskip.**

**Characters: Skye, Chrom.**

**Summary/Prompt: Though it had taken them longer then they would have liked after that proposal in Regna Ferox one year prior, Skye and Chrom finally are able to enjoy the peace they won, and the relationship they built together during that long and painful war with Plegia. As short a honeymoon as it would be, even newly-wedded princes and their queens will never not be needed by their people, the two are determined to enjoy the peaceful, lazy, sun-kissed mornings that will come too rarely, even in times of peace.**

* * *

A gentle touch moving in a slow, rhythmic motion up and down her bare back slowly brought the dozing brunette back to wakefulness, and she stirred lazily as she felt the warm heat of sunlight falling across her skin in tandem to the slow caress. She was only half aware of feeling as if she was floating, and a small part of her conscious mind reminded her that the bed she had slept on the previous night had been rather extravagant even by a noble's standard. Even though part of her recoiled instinctively from such luxury, she couldn't deny that she was feeling absurdly comfortable, and she had no desire to move from where she lay.

The act of lazy contentment seemed odd to her as memories of fast-paced days, long marches, hectic battles and more than a handful of sleepless nights flickered in and out of her thoughts. However, the lure of that tender touch tracing the path of her spine and the sun warming the parts of her body that weren't covered by satin sheets was too much for her to resist. She snuggled deep into the comfort with a happy murmur and was completely ready to surrender once more to sleep when the sound of a familiar voice lightly chuckling from her right alerted her that she was being watched.

The source of the touch, a callused hand that knew her body better than she did, moved once more up from the small of her back and upwards. However, instead of stopping between her shoulders it continued up and along to the base of her neck, and she giggled a little when it applied the gentlest amount of pressure. Again that deep voice let out a chuckle, and the sound warmed her body more potently than the sun itself ever could before she heard the words, "Good morning... Queen of Ylisse."

"Ughn!" Skye made a noise akin to a wounded animal as the five words successfully snapped her from her dreamy mood, and in one smooth movement, the brunette tactician rolled onto her back, grabbed the nearest pillow and began trying to smother herself with it. She heard Chrom laughing at her antics, but she didn't care how petty she had to seem as she thoroughly ignored the bliss of their summer honeymoon to moan about the fact that she was now officially royalty.

Chrom couldn't stop himself from laughing as Skye twisted about underneath the sheets in obvious disgust, and though he entertained the idea of taking the pillow away from her, he was too amused, and aroused, by what he was seeing. The thin and smooth sheets had wrapped themselves rather snugly about her naked body, and her dark hair was well and truly tousled from their activity the night before. He was torn between the desire to continue the game of teasing her with the title that she hated, and to pull her back to him so they could pick up where they left off when exhaustion had finally overrode lust.

Unfortunately, before the newly wedded prince could make up his mind, Skye found another use for the pillow she had unsuccessfully tried to asphyxiate herself with. Full of down as it was, the pillow made a very satisfying smacking noise as it struck Chrom full in the face and sent him reeling backwards in surprise. Skye sat up at his side, pulling the covers up with her to preserve at least an iota of modesty so that she could be taken seriously when she growled at him, "Damn it, Chrom, I told you not to call me that! I was in a good mood!"

Blowing a feather from out of his hair, Chrom tried to suppress a snicker as he sat up with her and watched her with an amused smile. Though he knew she was honestly irritated by being reminded of what she now was, Chrom also knew that such a sour mood would never last. As much as she would bluster and snark, there was no denying the bliss that had enshrouded the newlyweds. Her glare lacked heat and her voice venom, and that was enough to tell Chrom that he could safely continue, "And you aren't in a good mood anymore? Even in a place like this?"

Skye wished she could pull a face of distaste again, but as her navy-haired husband gestured to the sprawling suite that was currently serving as their bedroom, she couldn't even attempt to lie. The sun was shining in and covering the massive bed they were sharing in a sweet warm light, and through the open windows she could hear the crash of the waves striking the sand not to far from the castle's walls. Chrom hadn't been exaggerating when he told her that the destination for their honeymoon was something that would take her breath away, and even with her former misgivings, the brunette couldn't deny that she was smitten with Ylisse's southern castle.

"I'm allowed to get grumpy no matter where I am." Skye tried halfheartedly to argue with him, but as he had expected, her lips quirked up just the tiniest bit at the corners to betray her. The effort was admirable nonetheless, and Chrom had to give her credit for not surrendering even if they both knew that she was lying through her teeth. She swatted him lightly on the arm, and she scolded him even as she sank back into the soft warmth of the bed, "And considering how many times I've begged you not to call me that, I think being in a bad mood is more than reasonable!"

"You're going to need to get used to it, considering it's what you are." Chrom reminded her with a slight smirk, and Skye rolled her eyes theatrically, but she didn't try to edge away when he sidled closer to her so he could touch her easily. Unconsciously he reached for her left hand, and he ran his thumb errantly along the golden band that had permanently found its home on her finger. She had given the ring back to him before they had returned to Ylisstol, both of them had known that more was ahead of them before they could wed, and only yesterday had she let him return it to her.

Picking up on his thoughts with little effort, Skye watched the way he caressed the ring he had presented to her months ago in Regna Ferox. The crest of Ylisse's royal house stared back at her almost challengingly, as if it was asking her if she was worthy to wear such an heirloom, but Skye no longer felt the pressure it had once exerted. Rather, her focus was drawn to the opal that had been fitted next to the crest, and as always, the sight of her birthstone and Chrom's family symbol together made her heart give a delighted squeeze. She knew that she could wear that ring with pride, and she was happy to have it back on her finger for good now that they were married.

At the thought of the word, Skye was aware of her heart skipping a beat while a red flush stole its way back into her cheeks. Despite the fact that she had spent ages preparing herself for it, that she had been quivering the entire time during the ceremony and well into the night when they had finally been left alone, Skye still had a difficult time believing that it had finally happened. She was no longer just a fellow soldier, or her captain's adviser... She was the wife of the future exalt of Ylisse. They had won the war, had set about repairing the damage done to their country, and were finally allowed to reap the rewards of their patience.

Chrom let her hand go, and Skye smiled slightly as he instead began to caress the shape of her arm through the sheets she had snuggled back underneath. His touch was soft, as if she was made of the most fragile of glass, and she shivered with pleasure as his fingertips brushed along her collarbone and towards that sensitive spot just below her ear. There was a soft warmth in his eyes as he watched her silently, with a sort of wondering delight, and Skye turned her face into his palm as she murmured, "Chrom..."

Unable to resist, the blue-eyed lord leaned over his wife and tilted her face up so she could better see him smiling at her. He could read her as well as she could read him now, and they didn't need to speak as they took a moment to absorb everything. The ceremony still seemed like a dream rather than memory, and the passionate night later was a hazy blur of wild moans, sharp cries, and fevered calls of each other's names.

Skye shivered again as she felt her husband's gaze on her body like a caress, and she didn't dare to breathe as she let him study her with new eyes. He noted every mark that had been inflicted on her, from the tiniest nips he had delivered to her wrist, to the much more visible love bites on her neck and collarbone. Then his eyes were on hers again, and the desire, the love in his expression as he stared down at her undid her all over again. Her voice was light and playful as she relaxed herself completely underneath him and raised a hand so she could errantly trace the contours of his chest with her index finger, "This position seems oddly familiar..."

"If I remember right, I was actually standing that day." Chrom replied with a chuckle, but he had no desire to draw away to accurately recreate the memory she was joking about. Instead, he propped himself up above her with one hand, and with the other he lazily brushed his thumb along the shape of her lips before he cupped her face. He watched the way she nuzzled into his palm, and he savoured the warmth of her exhale on his skin even while part of him still stood back in disbelief when he thought of the contrast between where they had begun and where they now were. "It seems so unreal... you and I, together like this... I knew from the second I saw you that I loved you, but I never dared to believe that one day this is where we would be..."

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Skye agreed with a little nod, and there was a sheepish twist to her smile as she remembered that moment in perfect clarity. It was no exaggeration to say that he and his sister were her first memory, and even now, almost a full two years after that fact, she still could feel that intense rush of heat that had surged through her skin when he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Though quickly afterwards she had tried to kill the flame of her emotions with icy logic, she hadn't had to will to resist him for long. When he had finally confessed to being in love with her, Skye had been forced to admit defeat, and she had to also admit that she was glad for the loss. "So much has happened since then, too... When I stop and really look back, I always draw up short when I realize that only two years have passed since we first met. It feels more like a lifetime... Well, if we're splitting hairs, it sort of has been one, really."

An awkwardly amused smile spread across Skye's face as she thought of the vows she had spoken to him just yesterday, when she had admitted that he was her entire past, present, and future. The life that she could remember began with him, and she felt no shame in saying that she preferred to look at things from that perspective. The times when she wondered about the woman she had used to be, or what she had done or wanted to do were so much less than the times when she looked at Chrom and imagined their future together. She shook her head, laughing softly to herself as she added jokingly, "Granted, two and half years of experience seems like one short lifetime, but I have a feeling that the point still stands."

"Skye..." Chrom tried to admonish her for the bittersweet humour but he found himself unable to do so as she giggled quietly underneath him. He would never much understand how she could have such strength to make light of her circumstances as often as she did, and he wondered when, if ever, her blithe attitude would stop taking him by surprise. He shook his head a little as he allowed himself to share in her mirth, and he leaned down to touch noses with her before he commented with fond exasperation, "What am I going to do with you...?"

Though the words were spoken in jest, Chrom knew he had said the wrong thing as a speculative look came over his wife's face. Her dark eyes turned molten and she bit on her lower lip expectantly before she let her gaze move from his face and down to his body. He was the same as her, naked save for a sheet thrown haphazardly over his waist, and she quite was enjoying the sight he made as he loomed over her when she shot back devilishly, "I'm not sure... What would you _like_ to do with me?"

Smirking in response to her challenge, Chrom leaned back as he gave honest thought to the question. His body stirred hungrily for her, and he knew from experience that he never would stop desiring her, no matter how many times they took to the bed. It had been that way since the very beginning, and he heavily doubted that married life would somehow manage to cool their passion for each other. They were finally able to claim each other aloud, and they never would get tired of that. It was an intoxicating feeling, the freedom of being known for what they were, and Chrom couldn't imagine anything better.

Reaching out slowly, Chrom traced the path of her hip with his index finger in a lazy, almost absentminded fashion as he continued to mull over his answers. There was much he wanted to do with her, both in bed and out of it, and he wasn't entirely sure if they would ever have time for it all. They were expected back in Ylisstol within three days, but if Chrom allowed himself to go ahead with his desires, they would never leave the bed at all. He knew that thought was painted clearly on his face, and he ran his hand along her side, savouring the way she inhaled sharply when his knuckles brushed ever so teasingly at the swell of her chest. He repeated her words thoughtfully as she squirmed underneath his pleasant torture, her legs stirring restlessly in the sheets below him, "What would I like to do with you...? Well, speaking bluntly, it's a rather long list..."

"It isn't as if we don't have time..." Skye shot back breathlessly, and she shivered all over with eagerness when Chrom pulled back to regard her with surprise, and then amused delight. She reached for him, winding her arms about his shoulders to pull him closer, and Chrom obliged her willingly until he was pressing down firmly on top of her. She murmured with pleasure as his arms wrapped around her to hold her closer, and she felt lightheaded as she inhaled that familiar scent of sandalwood and leather that always seemed to be clinging to him. "I'm sure we can at least get halfway through it..."

"You're nothing if not ambitious..." Chrom chuckled, and he tilted his head as her fingers combed lovingly through his thick navy curls. She stared up at him as she played with his hair, and he couldn't help but smile as he read her face as easily as any open book. There was a wonder in her dark-chocolate brown eyes that had yet to fade, as if she inside of a dream that she was waiting to wake up from, and he turned his face so he could kiss at her palm before he whispered, "What are you thinking about?"

Skye smiled, and her fingertips gently traced the shape of his jaw before moving across his collarbone so she could finally caress the shape of the brand on his shoulder. A hint of pink stole into her cheeks as Chrom watched her curiously, but she answered him honestly nonetheless, "You... Me... This, I suppose. All of it. I know we've waited for so long that it should feel more like a relief than anything else, but truthfully... I don't entirely know how I'm supposed to feel, if that makes any sense. I guess that the fact that we're now husband and wife hasn't exactly sunk in."

Nodding as he understood exactly what she meant, Chrom eased himself down beside her and reached to take her back firmly into his arms. She came at once into his embrace, snuggling against his side and nuzzling into his shoulder, and with a little smile, Chrom ran his hand errantly through her tousled hair. She leaned into the caress, her eyes closing as a soft little sigh escaped her lips, and she continued in a quiet, thoughtful voice as they lay together, "I never imagined that this would be what was waiting for me, you know? For the longest time, I... I was scared about what would happen when the war ended. I was certain I'd be stranded by peace. I never even dared to dream that when the war ended, I'd have a home... or a family. I woke up confused and lost, and now, suddenly, I have somewhere to return to when everything is said and done. I know I've had a little while already to digest that, but it's... it's still hard to believe sometimes."

Frowning at the catch he heard in her voice, Chrom wasn't sure how to respond to such earnest words that he hadn't expected to hear. Shaking his head at the insecurity that he knew was never far beneath the optimistic mask his wife was always wearing, Chrom brushed his knuckles along her cheek before he turned her face to his and leaned forward to kiss her. She stiffened in surprise, caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, but Chrom gave her no time to respond before he was muttering huskily against her lips, "Well, I can assure you that this is no dream... And even if it was, then at least we're dreaming together."

The words were earnest but gentle, and Skye stifled a soft laugh as she wound her arms tightly about his shoulders and pulled him close for a fierce embrace. His fervent desire to comfort her touched her deeply, and she pressed her face into his neck as she savoured the love that he was never hesitant to show her. Clumsy as he could be in his gestures of affection, Skye cherished every single one, and she squeezed him tightly to her before she murmured into his neck, "All right, all right... Enough with the somber talk. This is our honeymoon."

"That it is." Chrom agreed with a little chuckle, and he resisted the urge to point out that she had been the one to start it. He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips when she loosened her hold on him, and he settled back down and pulled her across his chest in a smooth movement. She nuzzled into his shoulder with a happy purr, and he ran his hand errantly through her hair as he watched the way she used him as a pillow in an expression of easy comfort.

He hated to think that their days like this were numbered, and he could already imagine what would be waiting for them when they returned to the castle. The struggle for peace had left their homeland scarred and ravaged in more ways than one, and even a year later, it seemed as if their efforts were barely making a dent in such damage. They would return to their lives of hectic planning and political battling once the honeymoon came to an end, and though Chrom knew they both were dreading it... He had to admit his wife had shown her mettle a thousand times over despite what any noble had said when she had been introduced formally to them as his fiancee.

The worry Skye had shown in the very beginning had been melted away into a cast-iron resolve to prove herself, and Chrom had to admit he wasn't sure who was impressed more by her spirit, himself or the court that had once scoffed at his choice for a bride. The dark-eyed tactician showed no signs of her own inferiority complex now, not after her year-long struggle to assert herself amidst the lords and ladies of Ylisse. Instead there was something akin to fierce pride in her expression whenever she took her place at his side, as if she was daring anyone to deny her right to be there, and not even the most vocal of her former opposition would raise their eyes to her now.

She had refused any and all of his offers to intervene on her behalf when the rumours and whispers had started, and though he'd thought it was pride more than anything else that made her want to fight on her own... Skye had surprised him when she had explained that she wouldn't let anyone look down their nose at _him_ for deciding to marry a common woman rather than a fellow blue-blood. She would fight in her own way, and would gain their respect of her own doing, or else anything and everything she did would be meaningless... and when faced with such a response, Chrom hadn't been able to argue.

Smiling a little as he recalled the way she held herself even amidst the mud-slinging and the sly and poisonous glances, Chrom had to admit that even if she hated the word, she was indeed every inch the queen she now was to be called. The thought made him chuckle with mischief, and when she raised her head to look at him curiously, he propped himself up and stole a kiss before commenting cheekily, fearlessly, "I love you, Queen Skye."

The noise Skye made in answer was something between a groan of disgust and sickened gag, and it set Chrom off into a burst of laughter as she shoved at him and rolled onto her side to give him her back in a clear sign of her displeasure. Shaking with mirth because he knew he deserved her ire but still couldn't find it in himself to feel guilty, Chrom pulled her back to him, nuzzling into her neck from behind even as she tried to squirm away and grumbled halfheartedly, "That's twice now! Even you can't deny that now I have every right to be irritated!"

"Why are you irked at the truth?" Chrom asked playfully as he wrapped his arms around her middle to keep her from escaping, and she swatted at his hands but otherwise didn't try too hard to pull away. Taking confidence in that, the newly wedded prince ducked his face against her neck, peppering her sensitive flesh with little kisses and nips before his hands began to roam above the sheets to caress and tease. She gasped softly as his callused fingertips brushed through the thin satin resting across her chest, and with a growing smirk, Chrom applied a little more pressure before he asked huskily, "Is it really that bad for me to call you by your title, Skye?"

"Y-You know that I hate it." Skye managed to reply through hitched breaths, and her eyes fluttered closed of their own volition as Chrom's left hand trailed south down her front. He didn't try to slide his hands under the sheets, instead allowing the thin and silky barrier to remain between his skin and hers, and Skye wasn't entirely sure if the feeling was pleasurable or irritating. She wanted to feel the warmth of his flesh on hers, but the cool, sliding sensation of the fabric made her shiver all the same, and she couldn't suppress a soft moan when the knuckles of Chrom's right hand brushed along the straining peaks of her breasts in a tauntingly gentle manner.

Chrom felt her arch forward, desiring more of his touch, and he didn't disappoint her as he nipped lovingly at her ear and repeated the grazing motion with a fraction more strength than before. She shifted impatiently against him, her head falling back as she urged him wordlessly forward, and with a low and dark chuckle of satisfaction, Chrom's left hand dipped dangerously low across the flat of her stomach and between her restlessly stirring legs.

A little gasp escaped the dark-haired tactician at the unexpected touch, and her body stiffened in surprise as his hand found its way underneath the tangled sheets to caress her directly. He knew her body well, knew exactly how to tease and play until she was completely at his mercy, and she shuddered and bent willingly along with him as he eased away any and all ideas she had been entertaining of ignoring him for his earlier jesting. She bit down on her lower lip to stifle her sounds as his insistent fingers found the source of her pleasure and applied pressure, and she closed her eyes tightly as she reached dizzily for his wrist to ensure he didn't stop what he was doing, "A-Ah... Chrom...!"'

He left a trail of hot kisses along her throat as he continued to pleasure her, and Skye shivered as he tilted her head further back to better expose her sensitive skin to him. She couldn't deny him what he wanted, and she panted for air as he left new marks overtop of the old ones with his lips and teeth. The sheet remained between his right hand and her breasts, and she squirmed with a mixture of eagerness and discomfort as the cool satin only aggravated rather than soothed her ache for him. She knew that he was well aware of what she wanted but wasn't willing to give it to her, and her voice was small and weak when she begged him for more, "Please... Chrom, don't... tease me so much..."

"Do you not like this?" Chrom asked in a low growl, and his fingers slid inside where she wanted him the most to invoke that sweet cry of hers that he loved to hear. She reached behind her, twining her hand into his hair as she arched against his front, and all sense of speech seemed to vanish from her as he continued to torture her with deep, slow strokes. Her breathing was heavy as she squirmed helplessly in his arms, and he couldn't suppress another low laugh as her hips moved in time with his hand, eager and demanding, "If you don't, I can stop..."

The threat was hallow, something they both knew, but Skye didn't allow the challenge to go unnoticed, and she had a feeling that had been her husband's intention from the start. She pushed back against him, forcing him to withdraw, but before he could entirely let go she rolled him onto his back and straddled him in that same movement. He laughed as she took the upper hand, but the sound melted into surprised groan as her fingernails raked lovingly down his chest as she cradled his arousal with her thighs.

Then Chrom jerked as she ran her clever hands down his broad chest, his groan suddenly sharpening in pitch, and she shivered with desire as he reached to settle his hands on her waist and keep her firmly in place on top of him. Her fingers traced a path further south, caressing the hard planes of his torso and stomach, and she inhaled sharply as she came into contact with the tip of his arousal. He was eager and willing for her, and she was gentle, almost too much so, as her index finger caressed the length of him teasingly. She ducked down, nipping lovingly at his Adam's apple before she whispered breathlessly, "Don't move..."

Chrom gritted his teeth as he fought to obey her, and he couldn't contain a strained gasp of pleasure as she lowered herself onto him to take him deep inside. A pleasure so exquisite it could have been agony shredded his mind to pieces as he filled her completely, as if he had always belonged there, and when she shifted her hips experimentally, they both moaned at the sensation that followed. She moved against him, slow but hard, and her breathing hitched as he pulled fiercely at her to better the rhythm and to push himself deeper than before.

Then he was sitting up beneath her, unable to restrain himself, and his lips again roamed her throat and collarbone as she rode him. Skye's fingers tangled once more in his hair as he found her breasts and paid homage to them with that wicked tongue of his, and she moaned his name as he attacked from two fronts. Her head fell back under the pleasure, her hips surged forward, and she gasped his name as he suckled lovingly at one taut peak while the other was rolled between callused fingertips. Electricity cracked through her skin, hastening her movements, and she urged him on breathlessly as his hips bucked hard in response to her, "More... That's it... Don't stop...! Just like that...!"

His hands settled on her backside, gripping relentlessly as he forced her movements to match to his, and she mewled keenly with pleasure at his aggressiveness. He struck her over and over again deep inside, finding that sweet spot within that left her completely at his mercy, and her arms wound tightly about his neck as she called out for even more. He was driving her mad, and when he switched to attend to her other breast instead with his mouth, his voice was husky and wild with lust as he growled, "You're so... beautiful..."

The words Skye rarely believed despite hearing so often reached inside of her and snapped the coil that had been tightening in her middle. She moved without reserve now, desperate for release, and each movement of his hips against hers brought a sweet cry echoing from her parted lips. Instinct guided them both as they spiralled together, and when his teeth pressed insistently against her nipple, she was aware of screaming aloud her ecstasy as her climax burned through her body and left it as nothing more than a shell.

Chrom bucked hard beneath her, shuddering in pleasure as her orgasm triggered his own, and she heard him shout her name as he released within her. She shuddered as his warmth flooded her body, heightening her pleasure as she took a feral delight in knowing it was because of her that he was like this. She tightened her hold on him, breathing raggedly at her heart pounded wildly in her ears, and he gripped at her just as desperately, his face buried in her throat as her fingers dug into his back and held on for dear life.

Her dark eyes closed tightly as the rush began to fade, and she felt his harsh breathing on her neck as he likewise began the slow descent from madness. His body was trembling as he held her close, and she wondered how much of it was caused by her own shivering as she nuzzled weakly against his shoulder. She felt hot, hot and sated as he leaned back a little, smiling at her with a mixture of mischief, satisfaction and boyish earnestness, she scolded him with a giggle, "You do not fight fair whatsoever... and I'm still going to hate it when you call me 'queen'."

"I suppose there's still time to get you used to it." Chrom shot back with a roguish smirk, and she shook her head, but the dancing light in her dark eyes proved that she was enjoying herself too much to do a good job of pretending otherwise. He pulled her down with him back into the sheets, and she went willingly, laughing as she snuggled back against his chest to better savour their connection and the warmth of their bodies resting so intimately together. Nuzzling gently into her tousled hair, Chrom kissed at her ear before muttering quietly into it, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Skye answered softly, and she reached to rest her hand over where his heart lay inside of his chest. The golden band around her finger gleamed faintly in the sunlight pouring through the window, and she savoured the weight of the ring more then ever as she rested in Chrom's strong arms. While there was still a part of her that blinked in wonder to realize that the life she was living was reality, and while she knew that part of her would likely never leave her, Skye mused that she could accept it all without much trouble. Even if she was dreaming, she wasn't dreaming alone, and that more than anything was enough to make her happy.

**AN:**

**Took me long enough, eh? -ducks projectiles- I'm honestly sorry I made you guys wait so long for me to get back to FE:A, but I hope what I brought makes it okay! XD (That rhymed... -shot-) Ahem, but yes... Why the first out of my oneshot collection had to be a smut, I can't honestly tell you, but I wanted to give my best friend ever a present, and that present happened to be a smut, so... I regret nothing! Plus, Skye and Chrom needed some love after all the focus I've been giving to Cail and Tiki, so maybe that's my excuse I should stick to... Ah, well. I wanted to do it, so I did it, and that's all that matters.**

**Also, this style of smut is quite a departure from my my norm as it is more graphic than what I've usually written, but I want to let you guys know that this is an experimental trial with my writing. I'm not entirely sure if I like how this turned out as a whole, so constructive criticism is very much appreciated for how this worked out. If this style doesn't work all that well, I will likely return to my usual way of doing my lemons, but please don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts on the style shift! Thank you very much in advance! :3**

**Ahem, so, I always had fun imagining how Skye had to react to realizing she was now a queen, and how much she had to hate that title being thrown at her, even if it was rightfully hers. Despite all masquerading, Skye really does have quite the inferiority complex, and being elevated from an amnesiac commoner to a queen would really do a number of her psyche. Not to mention that nobles in general are not the nicest lot to hang out with, as both Maribelle and Lissa can likely attest to, so I imagine that the experience of dealing with them was also really hard for Skye... However, and as this piece demonstrates, Skye is a stubborn woman, and the only truth she really knows is that she loves Chrom, and that is more then enough for her at this point in time. -happy humming- **

**Anywhosit, this is the first of my oneshot collection, there are more to come, (and I promise they aren't all smuts, XD) and they'll range over a variety of situations, couples, and worlds. At this moment, I have hopes for two Future of Despair pieces, a companion SeveraxOwain fic to "By The Springs", a Tiki and Cail date night, a Lucina/Marth and Skye mother-daughter fic, a Tiki and Morgan mother-daughter fic, a Morgan and Lucina sibling fic, and a Cordelia and Skye friendship fic. I'm not entirely sure which one will show up next, but if you guys have any requests in particular of what you'd like to see me do first, please don't hesitate to let me know! And, as always, I am always open to suggestions on oneshot ideas, though I can't promise what will show up depending on my schedule. **

**Also, my multichaptered is coming... slowly... oh gods, it's coming so... god... damn... slowly. I don't know what it is about multichaptered fics, but they just do not like to start well... -sigh- Still, I am going to keep working on it until it appears no matter what, and in the meantime, I shall have these oneshots in order to tide myself, and you guys, over. So, keep a weather eye on your inboxes, and I shall see you again soon with more stuff!**

**Mood: Pleased.**

**Listening To: "Conversations With My 13-Year-Old Self" - Pink**

**~ Sky**


	2. Promises Made, Promises Kept

**Title: Promises Made, Promises Kept**

**Genre/Rating: Friendship, Family, Romance. (T)**

**Setting: During the Conqueror Campaign.**

**Characters: Tiki, Chrom, Cail.**

**Summary: The favour the Prince of Ylisse had asked of her had fled her mind long ago, Tiki had no need to muse on a vow she would have kept with or without his request... But Chrom never forgot as he watched his friend, his brother, fall in love and eventually marry the only woman who could make him remember to take care of himself. Chrom considered himself someone who always repaid his debts, and the one he owed to brother's new wife was one he believed he knew exactly how to settle.**

* * *

Chrom had attended more weddings then he could remember, both as a noble and as a comrade, but the event he had once found tedious as a child had begun to take on a new significance to him a long time ago. The one he had just attended had been one of the many he had personally invested in, and even though the ceremony was over and there was now a party being thrown to celebrate for the newly-wedded pair, Chrom didn't think he would ever be able to stop smiling for the two in question. He watched them accept congratulation after congratulation, their hands tightly clasped together and looks of joy shining in their faces, and he shook his head with a mixture of fond amusement and relief at the sight.

There was life in the silver-white haired tactician's eyes, a sort of presence there that many who had known him since he had become the army's tactician had never truly seen before. Compassion, wisdom and strength they all knew Cail possessed in equal measures, but there had always remained something missing for him, and no one had been able to pinpoint exactly what it was. He had watched his friends marry with a smile, had playfully become the instigator of many a courtship that no one was even aware of, but never once had his eyes strayed overlong on anyone he had ever met... until the Voice had become a member of their army.

He still remembered well how long and hard Lissa had laughed when they had left the Mila Tree, though at the time he hadn't been sure why she had been so amused. His sister's eyes were keener then his to such things, and she had known right away what had sparked within his friend when he had seen the emerald-haired manakete for the first time. It hadn't taken him long to understand it himself, especially when Cail's normally so unshakable composure went to pieces upon Tiki's permanent recruitment, and to say that he and his comrades were thrilled at the realization of Cail's affection would have been a gross understatement.

Still, he had watched in silence when others happily began to tease and pester. He wanted to witness the change that was coming about from a distance, to ensure himself that it was truly happening, and to his pleasure, he had been completely and utterly satisfied. The dark-eyed man who had never once shown an ounce of selfishness or self-preservation was taking less liberties in battle, was retiring at a respectable hour, was smiling so sincerely that it often caught those who had known him the longest off guard. Something drastic had changed within him, and Chrom knew exactly who he had to thank for it.

"_Take care of him. He won't let anybody else do it, and I trust you to keep him on his feet."_

The words he had spoken to Tiki almost in jest still rang out in his head as the party raged on all about him, and the prince of Ylisse couldn't help but smile as he mused that she had kept her word, and then some. He wondered if she even remembered, though he mused that wouldn't be much of a problem as she had still done what he'd asked of her. No one had been able to breach that shield of altruistic recklessness Cail possessed, none save her, and knowing that she had done so and would continue to do so throughout Cail's whole life was the greatest gift Chrom could ever ask for his brother.

Music swelled about him, a wordless invitation for a dance to begin, and Chrom smiled to himself as decided to take the opportunity he had been searching for the entire afternoon. He cut smoothly through the crowd towards the couple in the centre of the festivities, chuckling to himself at his mischief and the reaction he was likely to get for it, and he wasn't surprised when they saw him approaching and smiled and nodded to him in greeting. Returning both wholeheartedly, he playfully bowed at the waist towards them before remarking again with a warm laugh, "Tiki, Cail... Congratulations again on your wedding."

"Thank you, Chrom." Cail answered with a chuckle of his own, and he felt his heart catch inside of his chest as Tiki's arm tightened about his waist before she nuzzled lovingly against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head immediately, pulling her a little more firmly to his side, and she went willingly and with a soft little giggle that proved her happiness to be trapped in his arms. She sighed softly, contentedly, leaning wholeheartedly against him before she turned back to Chrom and likewise told him the same with a nod and a gentle smile.

"You're quite welcome." Chrom replied with another chuckle, and then time he focused his gaze on Tiki before he extended his hand to her politely. Both husband and wife started in surprise at the action, but thoroughly ignoring the silver-white haired tactician he thought of as kin for the sake of the jest, Chrom kept his focus solely on the ancient manakete as he asked with a hint of a roguish smile, "Milady Oracle, if I may... Would you honour me with a dance?"

Stifling a laugh as she knew Cail was not going to be happy about letting her go for even a moment, Tiki paused as she pretended to consider. Her husband would never dare to presume to tell her what she could or could not do, he respected her far too much to even say so in jest, but she did admit she found his jealousy rather attractive instead of stifling. Chrom was his best friend, and he was happily married to his own wife, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy the fact that they would be dancing together on his own wedding night. Tiki delivered a loving squeeze to the hand that had been settled on her hip to hold her in place, and she peeked up at her husband through her eyelashes before she answered Chrom teasingly, "I am not entirely certain that I can, milord... You may have to ask my husband instead."

Cail couldn't suppress a laugh at Tiki's jab, and he took her hand before raising it to his lips to press a tender kiss to the ring that now could permanently find its home on her left hand. Releasing his hold on her, he nodded in deference to Chrom, shaking his head with mock-pain as he answered for the both of his playful loved ones, "I know far better than to even dare to tell my wife what to do off of the battlefield, or on it, for that matter. If she wishes to dance, who am I to tell her no?"

"A good answer, my love." Tiki stood on tiptoe, brushing a loving kiss to his cheek for his willingness to go along with the joke, even if he was being the butt of it. He turned his head slightly, capturing her lips for a chaste moment, and then she pulled away. Chrom was watching them with a smile, his hand still extended, and without hesitation she slipped her own into his, answering him with a polite nod of acceptance, "I would be honoured to share a dance with you, sire."

Smiling broadly in satisfaction, and knowing full well Cail would make him pay for it later, Chrom led the giggling manakete towards the dance floor while her husband stood by, shaking his head and trying hard to pretend he was scowling rather than laughing. The music that was playing was familiar, a stately waltz that was slow and long, and Chrom carefully, expertly, placed a hand on her waist while the other tightened gently on hers. He led her through the first few steps and was pleasantly surprised when she matched his pace with ease, proving that her three long millennia of life weren't just for show.

Tiki grinned up at him confidently, proving that she was well aware he hadn't just asked her to dance so he could spite his right hand, and Chrom ceded to her with a shake of his head. There was no doubt in his mind that she had known right away that he'd wanted a chance to talk to her in private, but all the same she had proved herself just as much of a mischief-maker as her husband by going along with his plan without so much as a second thought, and Chrom had to point that out with a smirk, "You know, you shouldn't look at me like you're torn between scolding me and complimenting me for making so much fun of Cail as I do. You did jump at the chance to join me without hesitation."

"Of course." Tiki showed no shame in her part of his scheme, and she simply shrugged her shoulders when Chrom raised an eyebrow at her in challenging question. Allowing a hint of her impish spirit to shine through in her eyes, Tiki looked up at met his gaze unwaveringly, and her voice was cheerful but warm as she explained without missing a beat, "Even an oracle has to have her moments of levity, wouldn't you agree?"

"Point taken."

They followed the music's rhythm for a moment in silence, admiring one another's easy movements and the naturalness with which the waltz progressed. It only proved Tiki had been to many more weddings then she likely would admit to aloud, and Chrom had to wonder how many of them had been not only for old friends, but for their children, and their children's children as the years went by. She was light on her feet, making it seem as if she wasn't truly there at all even as he held her, and Chrom marvelled at the way she held his gaze, without fear or embarrassment as she waited for him to begin as if she had been expecting it forever.

Taken with her courage, and knowing that she would eventually prod at him if he kept her waiting, Chrom gave in after he gently spun her about and then pulled her back close. He kept his voice low, not wanting any of his nearby comrades to hear him, and also wanting to convey to her the seriousness of the matter before he began, "Listen, as I'm sure you've already guessed, I didn't simply ask you to dance just to provoke Cail... I've been hoping to speak with you all night in private, and I couldn't find another way to do so without looking a fool. I suppose I could have waited until after your honeymoon, but in all honesty, I didn't feel like it could wait."

Tilting her head to the side, Tiki examined the prince's face curiously as she sensed his earnestness in both his words and his body language. She knew his kindness, it was the same sort of compassion Cail had though not exactly taken to the same extreme, and she was touched by it as she wondered what he possibly would want to tell her. Accepting it with a gentle smile, she squeezed his hand a little to let him know she would abide by his wishes happily as she replied, "Don't allow me to keep you from waiting any longer, if that is the case. Speak your mind."

Nodding gratefully at her acceptance, Chrom paused for a moment as he wondered how best to begin. He had thought of what he'd wanted to say to her a hundred times over, but putting the thoughts to words wasn't the easiest thing for him to do, and he wanted to make sure she understood completely just what it was he wanted to get across to her. For her credit she was silent and expectant, giving him the time he needed to organize his thoughts, and Chrom was happy for both her kind heart and the dance's length, which gave him exactly what it was he needed.

"Do you remember what I asked of you, roughly two months ago? To take care of Cail, because he wouldn't let anyone else do so?" Chrom began slowly, putting weight on his words to stress their importance, and he watched Tiki's brow furrow a little as she sensed that there was more, much more behind his opening words. A hint of a blush raised in her cheeks, proving that she did indeed remember that moment, and she nodded mutely, allowing him to continue with a bit of a smile, "Good, then I suppose that makes this easier. I wanted to thank you for keeping your word."

Blinking in surprise, Tiki nearly stumbled in her steps, but she caught herself quickly as the coating of pink in her face darkened to a fetching rouge to match her dress. Shaking her head a little, she averted her gaze for the first time from his face, as if she was too embarrassed to meet his eyes anymore as she answered him in an awkward murmur, "C-Chrom, that's... I'm afraid I cannot accept your gratitude. I've hardly done enough to warrant it yet."

"As rude as this sounds to disagree with an oracle, I'm afraid that I have to in this case." Chrom argued politely but firmly, and Tiki looked up at him as she heard the unmistakable note of fondness in his deep tone. He led her expertly through the dance as he continued on, never missing a movement to prove that it was all second-nature to him despite his rougher ways of action and speech, "I know it must be a little strange for you to hear, but as someone who's been with Cail from the beginning, I have to admit I feel confident in saying I know exactly what's changed since Cail met you... and he _has _changed... in ways none of us ever expected to see in him, either."

Biting her lower lip, Tiki held her tongue as she wondered what Chrom meant exactly. She was aware that the prince knew her husband likely just as well as she did, the two truly did think of each other as brothers, but Chrom had been travelling with him ever since Cail had woken up without memories, and she trusted that the prince did know exactly what he was talking about when he described his friend. She kept her silence, worrying but understanding that it was something she needed to hear, though she was curious how she could have done anything to change the man she'd fallen in love with.

Seeing her uncertainty, Chrom smiled at her kindly, reassuring her that there wasn't anything for her to be concerned over before he began again slowly, thoughtfully, "I'm sure you've already noticed Cail has a... distressing lack of self-worth. And I'm sure you know just as well as I do that that's really putting it kindly. The man has never once really thought his life was worth a damn, and he acted as such from the very beginning. Only Lissa, Maribelle and Libra really know the full extent of how far his compassion stretches because they've treated him so many times, and now I suppose the same can be true of you, but everyone in this army is aware that Cail's body has taken more then its fair share of injuries. And everyone is aware that it's because he simply doesn't care if he dies, because he never considered his life to be something of value."

Tiki flinched painfully at the truth she knew without words having to be spoken, and she well remembered how Cail had shivered the first time she had caressed those scars that stretched their way around his body in a macabre testament to his altruism. She had scolded him silly too many times to count about his recklessness even as she praised his courage, but she had never much thought it had done any good. Cail was a stubborn man at heart, and little was able to change his mind once he set it to something, a fact which Tiki knew Chrom was well aware of.

Chrom's voice softened however as he saw the emotional impact his words had on her, and though he was contrite for causing her distress, it also heartened him to know how much she had to love Cail in order to react in such a way, "However, even though you probably don't see it, you've changed that in him, even if only a little. He doesn't take nearly as many risks as he used to in battle, and he's even begun taking care of himself in small ways about the camp. To you, I know that has to seem like nothing of import, but to me, to those who have been with him since the beginning, it's a drastic difference. He's started looking after himself, and I know it's because of you. There's no other reason why he would change but for you."

The blush returned with a vengeance, racing its way up her cheeks to burn to the very tips of her tapered ears, and Tiki again had to avert her gaze as her heart skipped several beats in a row. She admitted Chrom was right, she hadn't thought much of the minute changes she had seen in Cail taking note of his own well-being, but that was because it didn't seem as if it was enough. Ensuring he actually slept at a decent hour rather than making that last round about the camp hardly seemed a victory, not when she still had to half threaten him to be honest with her when he was in pain, and she told the prince as much with a quiet, "I still hardly think that I deserve thanks for that, Chrom... and regardless, I cannot claim that my motives are pure, either. You know as well as I do that the only reason I want him to be careful is so I won't lose him."

"I don't find anything wrong with that." Chrom told her kindly, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling when Tiki blushed an even deeper shade of crimson and ducked her head awkwardly. He wondered at her selflessness that made her think her selfish for wanting to keep the man she loved safe, and he admitted to himself with a chuckle that both she and Cail were well matched in that respect. Knowing full well saying such a thing would earn him quite the glare, he sidestepped the comparison and instead continued on gently, honestly, "Regardless of whether or not your motives are pure, you're still doing something that none of us have ever accomplished. Cail never much gave a damn for his own life, and he never much thought he had a reason to. Not until he met you. You gave him something he needed, something he had been missing... A reason to live for himself, and not an imaginary debt he believed he had to settle. And for that, Tiki, I need to thank you."

Biting her lower lip to keep her arguments stillborn because she knew he was right, Tiki had no choice but to keep her head bowed and her eyes on her feet as Chrom led her through the dance in silence. He knew his words touched her, knew that she was seeing herself and Cail through another perspective she hadn't ever thought about before, and she was grateful that he was being so mindful of her emotions. The love she felt for her husband was stronger then she had ever imagined, and she was filled with a yearning to return to his side and hold him tight to her until she lost all strength in her arms.

However, Chrom didn't seem to be finished just yet, something that surprised her when after a long minute of silence, he cleared his throat politely to gain her attention again. She looked up, blinking away the sharp pain in her eyes that had been threatening her composure, and he smiled sheepishly as if he was apologetic for needing to continue on. The boyish sort of awkwardness made her smile back, and she wondered to herself if Cail had mirrored that childish sort of smile from Chrom, as they both looked rather similar with such an expression on their faces.

"I've always considered myself a man who repays his debts, and while I admit that this particular one isn't something I can likely settle easily... Cail is, and always will be, my brother." Chrom's voice was sincere, and there was both a mixture of pride and love in his tone as he spoke the tactician that had become so much more then his comrade throughout the years they had lived together. Blood didn't much matter to the noble, and the bond they had forged in the war was something stronger then such kinship anyway, and it showed in the exalt's face as he continued firmly, passionately, "We've fought together, bled together, laughed together and both won and lost much side by side... and I have always thought of him as kin. Now that the two of you are married, I want you to know that you, as well, are just as much family to me as he is. For as long as you live and as long as my line survives, you will _always_ have a home in Ylisstol, Tiki."

Those words succeeded in causing Tiki to lose her footing, but Chrom was prepared as he caught her before she could stumble too badly, and he steadied her with his own body with perfect ease. She stared up at him in mute disbelief, a mixture of shock and uncertainty crossing her face, and Chrom felt himself smiling back in reply. She looked like a lost child, scared yet hopeful as a stranger approached her, and Chrom repeated himself as he understood she didn't know if she had heard him properly, "Castle Ylisse is your home now, if you'd have it, Tiki. Both you and Cail will always be welcome in my house, and even after I'm gone, I will make it known to my descendents that you, and any children you may have in the future, will never need to leave if you so desire it. It's the only fitting thanks I can think to give you for all you've done."

Removing her hand from his shoulder, Tiki pressed it firmly to her mouth as the pain in her eyes returned with a vengeance and blurred her vision. Her chest ached sharply and shortened her breath, and she was aware of her thin form trembling with suppressed emotion as Chrom slowed his steps so she could better disguise her reaction to the surrounding couples. Gratitude swept through her swift and strong, a sweetly sharp pain that made her want to both weep and laugh in unison, and Tiki closed her eyes against the flood of tears that his offer brought her.

The word 'home' reached into the deepest part of her and threatened to shatter every inch of her calm and collected mask, and she wasn't entirely sure what to think as she imagined it. It wasn't the first time she had been offered such a thing from the exalted bloodline, but she had never been able to accept it then. Her heart had been too fiercely fractured by Marth's death to ever imagine remaining where he had once lived, and she had denied all thoughts of trying again for centuries. To live amongst the humans she couldn't help but love seemed nothing short of torture, and a self-inflicted one that she couldn't even rail against when they were forced to part, but much had changed since those days, and Tiki knew that.

Images of sweetly smiling silver-white haired children flickered through her mind and tightened her chest until she couldn't breathe, and she thought of the long years that would pass by, that she could pass by, with a family of her own to hold and cherish. Even though it would hurt, and hurt unbearably when she parted from Cail, to imagine that perhaps she wouldn't be destined to be alone when he passed was not a thought she had entertained overmuch. Chrom's offer of a home, of a place where she could live with the past, present and future unlocked her imagination and gave her a glimpse of hope, and the suddenness of it all was overwhelming.

Seeing that he had triggered something he hadn't intended, Chrom cursed himself as he carefully and expertly steered her away from the crowd so that she could at the very least have a chance to collect herself without being noticed. She went with him willingly, keeping perfectly silent, something that impressed Chrom greatly despite his worry for her as she dashed a hand hastily over her eyes to remove the evidence of tears before they could trickle freely down her cheeks and leave marks. He kept his voice low and comforting as he called her name and apologized hastily, "Tiki, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!"

"N-No, it's not... It's not that I'm upset..." Tiki hastened to reply as she heard his anxious contrition, and she couldn't stop herself from laughing as she wondered how so many kindhearted men and women could be found so easily in one place. Shaking her head as she continued to brush away the tears as they came, she took in several deep and cleansing breaths before she finally gained the composure she had been looking for. Her eyes still smarted and her chest still hurt, but there was a sweetness to the pain now, and it allowed her to smile as she looked up at the nervous prince and continued with a weak chuckle, "By the gods, Chrom, how could I ever be upset with you? When you're offering me all that I have ever wanted, and only because I chased my own selfish desires to be with the man I love?"

"The tears told a different story, but I'm relieved I was wrong. For a moment there I was terrified I was going to meet my end at Cail's sword for making you cry." Chrom admitted with a weak chuckle of his own, and to his pleasure, Tiki laughed again honestly at the halfhearted jape. Running his free hand through his hair in a relieved gesture, he watched as Tiki carefully rubbed at the corners of her eyes to remove the rest of her tears without leaving their traces behind. Knowing she must have had more experience then she would ever let on at crying, Chrom watched with a mixture of guilt and sheepishness when she finally let out a soft sigh to prove she was all right again. "Are you all right? I really am sorry..."

"I'm fine... Just a little... overwhelmed, I suppose. I didn't expect..." Tiki shook her head slowly, stopping herself before she could finish as she continued to breathe deeply in order to totally and completely settle. Her eyes still burned but she refused to keep crying, especially not for such a reason, and she looked up to give the prince a gentle smile before she answered sincerely, "Chrom, words cannot express how grateful I am that you would offer me such a thing... and I would be delighted to accept your offer. Part of me wishes to argue your generosity, but I know better than to argue with the men and women of the exalted bloodline. You've my thanks for your kindness. Truly, you do."

Smiling in satisfaction, Chrom nodded to himself in triumph before he politely took the hand Tiki had been using to rub at her eyes and raised it to his lips. He delivered a polite kiss to her fingers, bowing slightly over her hand, but the solemnity if the moment was ruined by the devilish sparkle in his eyes, and the cheeky comment he couldn't help but make, "Then, I suppose a formal welcome is in order, Lady Tiki. I'd call you 'sister', but I'm afraid if I tried that I'd laugh too hard, and that you'd be offended by my impertinence."

Tiki again pressed her hand to her mouth, but this time to stifle her delighted laughter at the jest that warmed her from the inside out. She had never thought she would know the joy of being considered a sibling, and even though she knew full well Chrom was only jesting, she wondered if perhaps the warmth of having a brother could be something a little like what she was feeling at that moment. The navy-haired lord was grinning at her, clearly enjoying the fact that he had amused her so, and she returned the gesture fondly as she answered with a hint of her own cheek, "I suppose there are many who would gape at the exalt calling an oracle as old as I am 'sister', but if you feel the need to do so, I won't stop you. That is, if you can say it with a straight face."

Chuckling at the banter, and happy beyond words that she would deign to accept such a thing from a man like him, Chrom mused that his friend was a lucky man to have found such a warmhearted woman to love. He could understand full well why Cail had given her his heart without hesitation, and he was glad that the two of them were so passionate about each other. He could step back and cease to worry, and he did just that as he responded easily to her challenge with a dismissal, "I don't think I can, but maybe one day I'll shock you. Still, don't wait for me. And on that note, I shouldn't keep your husband waiting any longer, either. The gods know the last thing I need is a tactician out for my blood."

"Quite true." Tiki agreed with a tender smile at the thought of her husband, and she accepted Chrom's hand when he offered it to her and began to lead her again through the crowd. The music had long since switched to another song, but the sound was pleasant and gentle, and almost made her playfully suggest that perhaps they should share another dance just for the fun of it. She could see a similar thought crossing his mind, something that made her want to laugh long and hard for the spirit he and Cail both shared, but the idea never made it to words as Tiki felt a gentle tap on her shoulder that made her spin about in surprise before she sighed in exasperation upon seeing the man she had been on her way to meet, "Cail! Really, was that necessary?"

"No, but... I was hoping to cut in, if you were still dancing." Cail answered smoothly, and he looked to Chrom as if for permission despite the fact that he hadn't interrupted a dance like he had hoped. The prince chuckled, understanding his meaning, and he bowed graciously before releasing Tiki's hand and taking two steps back in a courtly manner. He offered a playful salute when Cail took Tiki's hand in his before he stepped back into the crowd, causing the tactician to chuckle as he gently pulled his wife close to him as he remarked, "Always the gentlemen, Chrom..."

Settling her free hand on his shoulder, Tiki followed her husband's lead with a smile as he matched the rhythm of the music with ease and led her through it expertly. She couldn't help but compare him to her previous partner, and while she admitted Chrom was likely the better dancer due to his instruction all through his life, she confessed wholeheartedly to preferring Cail's warm touch and his tenderness in holding her just a little closer then the dance usually required. Still, his silence was amusing as they swept together across the floor, and she looked up at him with an impish glint in her eyes as she asked him, "You aren't going to comment at all on what happened between Chrom and I?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Cail managed to look completely unconcerned by the prospect for a full thirty seconds before a hint of a smile made its way onto his face. His frame shook with suppressed laughter, and he bit on the corner of his lip to stop himself from chuckling aloud as he playfully pulled his wife against his chest so he could hug her tightly for a brief instant before they parted again to resume the dance. His dark eyes were sparkling with mirth, and he answered her honestly if with a bit of mischief, "Should I take that to mean that something besides dancing _did_ happen between the two of you?"

Clicking her tongue as she realized her choice of words had given the truth away before their usual banter could even start, Tiki shook her head as she accepted her defeat at his hands. He was a skillful opponent at the verbal joust, and it was rare that she could beat him when he decided to truly put all of his talent behind the effort. Still, she allowed her hand to drift along his shoulder, caressing the side of his face for a moment when she replied positively, "Yes, and I know you full well knew something was going to when he called. He wanted to talk... to thank me."

"I think I can guess what for." Cail smiled crookedly as Tiki's fingertips traced the shape of his lips, and he kissed gently at them before her touch retreated and her hand settled once more on his shoulder. Turning his head, Cail pressed his mouth to the back of her hand in a lingering touch as his hold on her waist tightened a bit, and then he sighed with a mixture of contentment and amusement, "He wanted to thank you for taking care of me, right? It'd make sense. He's always been worried about me, ever since the beginning... Knowing that you're there for me probably made him quite the happy man. I'm sure he'd want to tell you that in person."

Not the least bit surprised at his astute guess, and at the warm look of affection on her husband's face when he spoke of Chrom, Tiki cleared the distance between them and rested her head on his chest rather then allow for any space between their bodies. Cail started in surprise at the breaking of the posture, but all too quickly he was winding his arms firmly about her body to hold her in place, and Tiki hummed her contentment as she raised her own arms and intertwined her fingers behind his neck. Her voice was soft, warm and sweet as she looked up to hold his gaze as she asked him softly, "Do you want to know exactly what he said, or do you want to continue to guess?"

"I think it can wait, if that's all right with you. As much as I love Chrom, right now, I'd prefer to keep my thoughts on you." Cail answered with a suggestive smirk, and Tiki smiled brightly in answer even as a warm flush made its way up into her face and down into her middle. His hold became a little tighter, pulling her snugly against his front, and she sighed with longing even as her head tilted back and his lips came down to claim hers.

Cail kissed her hungrily, without reserve or shame despite the time or place, and Tiki didn't mind whatsoever as her fingers tangled in his hair and her body pressed eagerly into his. The marriage vows they had exchanged only a few hours beforehand rang out loud and happily in her ears, reminding her that the man in her arms was now as bound to her as she was to him, and she cherished that knowledge with a jealous sort of joy. When they finally parted for oxygen, her voice was breathless and hungry as she murmured against his lips, "I love you, Cail... So much..."

The smile Cail answered with was blinding with its happiness and scorching with his warmth, and Tiki couldn't suppress a little shudder of pleasure as his left hand's fingers caressed the tapered shape of her ear before following the curve of her cheek. She admired the sight of that band that matched her own curving about his ring finger, and his eyes were pools of dark chocolate as they held her gaze before he answered in a husky sigh before he claimed her mouth once more, "I love you, too, Tiki. Above all else. Always."

**AN:**

**Excuse me, I need to go find some insulin, because I'm pretty sure I just killed myself with sugar overdose. Can you believe I actually sat down and typed this up all in one-sitting? Because I can't! XD Though I suppose that will explain the... oddness of this fic. I had a good laugh trying to explain what I was writing without giving too much away, but, well, this is a bit of an odd fic when you step away and look at it, eh? Especially since Chrom and Tiki actually don't get a chance to share much dialogue in-game, which is kind of sad in its own way... In an even more odd manner because she has a support with his DAUGHTER...**

**Still, I imagine that in the world where Cail married Tiki, Chrom must have had something to say to his sister-in-law, and that's where this comes in. I have always imagined that the male avatar and Chrom are bros, and they certainly treat each other as bros, and well... Tiki is certainly not about to leave Cail's side come hell or high water, and Chrom has to appreciate that. And considering how I write Cail, being such a selfless moron until Tiki finally came along and kicked him in the ass, Chrom would definitely want to tell her "thanks" if nothing else.**

**And, because I think Chrom is awesome... I doubt he'd led it end there. So, that's how this came about. I'd been planning this fic for ages, but I never really got around to it because I got too busy, but I have always wanted to explore the dynamic Tiki and Chrom had to share, both being loved ones of Cail and probably having spent a fair amount of time together, or at least getting to be more comfortable with one another. They are family, really, so... Makes sense to at least try to act a little like the part, nein? -dies laughing-**

**Of course, this was inspired mostly by my long-in-coming but very amused realization that the next time I see Naga in-game, I can look at her and go, "Shit, she's Cail's MOTHER-IN-LAW!" and that just had me in stitches for way longer then it really should have. I'm rambling pointlessly, and I probably should go to sleep, but I am having too much goddamn fun tonight. Please excuse any weirdness in this fic as I had to post it quickly before I lost my nerve, but I will come back and edit the shit out of it once my head decides it wants to join the rest of my body again. Until then, hope you enjoyed the second oneshot in "The Moments In Between" and I shall see you guys soon! And please, don't hesitate to chuck out requests if you've got 'em!**

**PS: Just in case anyone wonders, these oneshots all function under the assumption that you have read, or know of my previous works. So, as Sun-kissed Mornings suggested, it was pretty much following the events of "Need Versus Desire" just as this oneshot runs along the same line that "Scars of the Heart and Body" is canon. I know that can be a bit of a pain in the arse, but I just wanted to make that clear in case anyone is somewhat confused by what it taking place here, or how something came about. Thank you for your patience!**

**Mood: Hyper.**

**Listening To: "Wings" - Jeff and Casey Williams (RWBY)**

**~ Sky**


	3. The Ties That Bind

**Title: The Ties That Bind.**

**Genre/Rating: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Angst. (M)**

**Setting: Post Grima's Return.**

**Characters: Cail, Grima, Tiki, Validar.**

**Summary/Prompt: "These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well... Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?" The challenge rang out loud and clear in Cail's mind despite the fact that the corpse of his father lay buried amongst the rubble that had blocked off the Dragon's Table, and he knew the words only carried so much weight because of their truth. He clenched his fist, staring down at the violet brand that stained his flesh, and a self-loathing he had never felt before burnt at his heart and told him he had never had a choice in the matter at all.**

* * *

_The silver-white haired tactician's breathing was heavy as he clutched his Thoron tome to his chest, but he stood his ground and met the Grimleal spell for spell as they continued to face off. He had refused any and all offers of aid despite his better judgement, and his allies had ceded to him when he had set off alone across the Dragon's Table to meet his father in combat. His body shook with effort underneath his cloak, and he could feel his energy draining each time he blocked one of Validar's spells, but he had long since ceased to care about the aches and pains in his body. Instead he stood his ground as Validar summoned yet another dark violet mass and hurled it towards him with a snarl._

_Stretching his hand out as golden sparks danced about his fingertips, Cail's eyes narrowed in concentration as he sent out a bolt of lightning in response. The thin and concentrated ray punched through his father's spell like an arrow through a parchment target, and he heard Validar cursing as the magic slammed into his shoulder. Taking the chance, Cail sprinted forward, teeth gritting audibly as he saw his father recovering, his hand already extended, "I will not be defeated by you, you foolish pup! You _will _submit to me!"_

_His forward momentum was his undoing, giving him no time to dodge as Validar's counter spell struck him head-on. The blast of dark magic nearly lifted the dark-eyed tactician off of his feet, and he hit the stone floor hard, his breath escaping his battered lungs in an exclamatory curse. He filed away the pain for later, ignoring his bruised ribs and the ache in his spine as he rolled onto his stomach and forced himself upright, and above his own ragged breathing and his thudding heart, he heard Validar laughing at him, "Why do you resist so, my son? Why have you fought so hard at all? I have seen more then you know... I know full well who travels alongside you. You may deny that you will ever be Grima's vassal as is your right, but you have already done irreparable damage that the Grimleal could never have hoped for!"_

_The words were like blades of ice, stabbing deep through his chest, into his heart, and stopping him short for an instant. He didn't need Validar to explain, as such thoughts had already crossed his mind, but to have them thrown again into his face only made his soul cry out with self-loathing. He knew full well what damage he had done, and the guilt he felt was almost as sharp as his anger towards his father, towards the Grimleal, for making use of him when he had only meant to make the person he cared for most smile. _

_The pain in his body was buried underneath a layer of adrenalin and anger, and Cail allowed his instincts to move him before his mind. His hand raised automatically, focusing on the source of the laughter, that cold and evil sound that fuelled his rage, and he was aware of a faint burning sensation against his fingers as he let the spell loose. The golden glow that surrounded him seemed brighter than normal, but he had no care for the warning ache in his wrist as the magic roared through his body and out of his palm towards its intended target._

_He saw Validar raise both of his hands, forming a barrier to deflect the magic, but he underestimated the strength put behind the blow and cried out in shock as the lightning cut through his spells with ease. There was an explosion as the thunder spell negated the dark magic, and Cail's ears rang as dust and ash created an enormous cloud that robbed him of his sight. He pushed forward, relying on his other senses to lead him to his opponent, and the pained panting of the sorcerer told him exactly where to aim his final blow despite the smoke._

_The sound of sizzling air warned him that the Grimleal would go down fighting to the last, and Cail dodged left seconds before a pronged spell of dark violet energy slammed into the floor where he had been standing moments ago. Though the magic had been strong enough to crack the stone and raise up a new column of dust, it had been poorly aimed, and that told Cail all he needed to know about how Validar had fared against his earlier onslaught. Heartened by this, yet still weary, Cail made a cautious advance, his body tense and ready to spring aside at any given moment as he strained his ears to again pick up on Validar's breathing._

_Instead more laughter rang out, echoing amidst the dusty battlefield, and even as Cail spun about in an effort to pinpoint the source, he knew it was useless. The Table was a sprawling masterpiece of columns, eaves, and statues, making tracking by sound alone nearly impossible to do, and the tactician was aware that Validar was clever enough to use that against him. His father's voice was tight with pain, but there was still that cold and deadly note of cruelty within that proved he could and would still fight as he called out for his struggling son, "You have grown splendidly... and though you struggle so futilely against destiny's yoke, you have only ever tightened the noose. I admit, you have surpassed my every expectation and hope, my son... and even without my bidding, you struck a grievous blow to our enemies. To think, it wasn't the Risen that would be that wench of Naga's undoing, but rather my own son's!"_

_Cail reacted automatically as his mind filled with white noise, and he was aware of something hot trickling through his fingers as a rage he had never known swept through him and wrested his iron-clad control from his grasp. He only numbly felt himself slam a lightning bolt into the ground, as if his body was no longer his own, and the ensuing explosion for a brief moment lifted the dust and ash that had clouded the area in which he was standing in upwards. He found his target within an instant, and with that same hand that had yet to stop crackling with electricity, he took aim. The sparks danced almost playfully about his fingertips, but the magic burnt at his flesh as if it was fire, and indeed the golden light seemed to flicker a pale shade of rose as he met his father's astonished gaze and uttered a single word, "_Enough_."_

_The spell roared as it left its caster, and Cail staggered back under the force of the recoil, his arm screaming out in agony as the bones cracked under the pressure. The pain however seemed distant to him, a footnote almost, and he watched as the spell, no longer gold but rather a ferocious shade of white tinged red, arced through the air and found its home in Validar's chest. The sorcerer's eyes widened in horror, his mouth opening to shout out in pain, but the spell was vicious and gave him no more time to react as it punched through the front of his robes and into his unprotected flesh._

_There was a muffled thud as the body hit the stone, and silence rushed in to claim what it had lost as Cail cradled his broken arm to his chest and stared, uncomprehending, at the corpse of his father. His face was twisted in a grimace of pain, his lips parted in a silent and unending scream, and Cail felt a twist of dark emotion he didn't dare to name for a brief moment as he studied the man who had given him life. Then he turned his back, numb and empty, and he staggered back to where he had left his comrades._

_The smoke and dust thinned as he pressed forward, and he winced every time he moved as the pain began to leak through the shield of adrenalin and emotion that had kept him moving throughout the fight. He grit his teeth against it, needing to put as much distance as he could between himself and Validar's corpse, and he was glad when the cloud he was immersed in finally became light enough for him to see the small group that had been spread out on the perimeter of the battlefield in anxious impatience._

_A figure suddenly slipped away from the pack, dodging behind another's outstretched arm, and Cail blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear his vision to better see who had broken rank. He had no time to identify them as something warm and soft collided with his chest and sent him staggering backwards again, but time seemed to halt for a moment as a pair of thin arms wound desperately around his waist and held on for dear life._

"_Cail! Oh, thank the gods!" Tiki's voice was tight, drenched with relief and gratitude as she pressed her face against the front of his cloak, and her hold on him tightened briefly before she drew away to examine him with worried eyes. Tears shone in her emerald gaze, proof of her fright when the battlefield had become a cloud of dust that bore only explosions to signify what was taking place within, and she spoke in a whisper that shook almost as badly as her body did when she reached up to touch his cut cheek, "I was so scared... For a moment... I thought...!"_

_Cail didn't let her finish, yanking her forward again with his good arm and embracing her as best he could while his left hung useless and sore at his side. She came willingly, nuzzling into his chest as she reached for him blindly, and he buried his face in her fragrant hair even as that seething mass of emotion deep inside of his chest roared at his selfishness. Still, he couldn't let her go, didn't care for anything else in that moment, and his voice was ragged and broken as he whispered her name hoarsely, repeatedly, into her neck, "Tiki... Tiki, Tiki, Tiki..."_

"_I'm here, my love..." Tiki murmured softly as she heard that note, that anguished and empty note in his voice. She forgot all else at that sound, casting aside her own fear and turmoil instantly as she sensed what had broken inside of her husband. There was no triumph in him, no feelings of satisfaction for his victory, just a profound sense of loss that came with killing the only blood he had known of from his past. Her fingers curled into his hair as she held him close, knowing he needed her more then he would ever express with words, and she felt him tremble as she repeated tenderly, "I'm right here..."_

"All right. How are you feeling now?"

The warm voice of the sprightly healer broke through his reverie and brought Cail back to the present, and he opened his eyes slowly as he registered that he had almost dozed off in the midst of his healing. He sat up slowly on the cot he had been lying on, testing his body as Lissa stood up and stepped away from him to allow him movement. The healing tent was empty save for him and Lissa, something he was mildly grateful for as he looked down and remembered that he had been forced to shed everything but his smallclothes so the blond princess could truly have a chance to treat everything she could in one swift go since she had him.

Taking stock of himself automatically so he could answer Lissa's question truthfully, Cail closed his eyes again and focused on the hurts that no longer existed over the ones that still ached. His ribs no longer felt tight and constrictive, allowing for even and easy breathing, and the myriad of cuts and bruises along his limbs had vanished underneath Lissa's spells. Even the superficial wound on his cheek had closed up to leave smooth skin behind, and Cail flexed his jaw experimentally, and almost allowed himself to smile as he felt no pain.

Flexing his fingers carefully, Cail was aware of the splint tied about his left forearm, but there was only a dull throbbing now as the healing magic worked its way deep into the bones to speed up his body's natural healing process. There was only so much a healer could do to the human body, even one as skilled as Lissa was, but her talent shone through by numbing the pain immensely even though she couldn't completely heal him all at once. The burns that had covered his palm had likewise been healed, leaving no sign of the potent magic he had unleashed without thought, focus, or care for his own well being.

Nodding his head slowly, Cail swung his legs over the edge of the cot as he reached automatically for the fresh pair of clothes that had been fetched and laid out, folded neatly on the small crate beside him. Pulling his trousers up and buckling them was difficult with one hand, but he managed as he answered the expectant healer in what he hoped was a conversational tone to make up for his embarrassment at the handicap, "Everything but the arm seems to be in working order, but I expected that much with the severity of the break... It still is throbbing a bit, but it's nothing I can't handle. You did a great job, as always. Thank you, Lissa."

Lissa smiled a little at the compliment, but she said nothing as she handed Cail his shirt wordlessly and watched him shrug into it. She examined him worriedly, sensing something off about the dark-eyed man she had come to view as a second brother, but she said nothing of it as she knew that anything she said would still fail to get him to open up to her. She only knew one person in the entirety of the camp who could get the truth out of him, and instead she asked indirectly of her as Cail hopped from the cot and to his feet, "Are you going to go back to your tent and retire for the night?"

Cail paused for a moment as he reached for his cloak, and his entire body stiffened with a pain that had nothing to do with his injury. He fought it back, knowing Lissa would see it, and though he almost wished that she would confine him to the healer's tent for the night, he couldn't put off what he had to do any longer then he already had. The desperate yearning to keep things as they were, even if for only one more night was almost unbearable, but the angry emotions whirling about in his head and carving out the innards of his heart would not allow for him to be selfish.

It didn't help that he thought of the way Tiki had looked at him when he had told her she didn't need to stay with him while he was healed. Though he had tried to hide the fact that he needed to be alone by pointing out that he knew she was tired, the suggestion for her to go ahead to their tent and sleep while she waited for him had sounded painfully flat, even to his own ears. She bit on her lower lip, her emerald eyes troubled, but after a moment she had ceded to him with a small and wordless nod.

However, when he had tried to turn away to enter the healing tent where Lissa was waiting for him, she had reached for his cheek and turned his face back to hers. She looked at him intensely, her quick gaze cutting through all of his shields until he wondered if she knew exactly what was on his mind, and she proved that it was quite possible when she asked him softly, ever so softly, to come back to her before the night was over.

He had promised he would, and his word beckoned at him despite any and all of his personal misgivings. It forced him to act even though he did not want to, and Cail tossed his cloak over his shoulder rather than donning it before he turned for the healing tent's exit. He could feel Lissa's concerned stare on his back as she followed him silently, and he hated to worry her but he forced himself to only answer her spoken question quietly, "Yeah... Good night, Lissa. Thank you again."

The cool autumn air felt good on his skin as he left the healer's tent and ventured into the welcoming dusk, but he couldn't enjoy the coming of winter as the dark clouds swirling to the west reminded him of the hell that had been unleashed with Grima's return to the world. Even now, despite the distance that the Fell Dragon had put between them as it abandoned the Table and flew towards the oceans, Cail could still hear its roar echoing inside of his head and threatening to tear his sanity to pieces.

He pictured that man, that mirror-image of him that he now knew _was_ him, that had stood before him with a twisted smirk on his face as he claimed his heritage and damned him in the same breath. The gloating laughter that had cut him to the quick had seemed to be from another creature entirely, but as Cail's eyes fixed on the brand on his future self's hand, he forced himself to admit that they were indeed one and the same. Even if their actions differed from world to world, he was a man of logic, and there was no denying that intrinsically, he and the Fell Dragon were the same being.

Cail felt his feet leading him through the camp without his orders, and his jaw ached as he gritted his teeth and followed his body's lead despite every inch of his soul begging for more time. Even one hour, or a precious handful of minutes would be enough for him, but his own iron will would not allow for delay. The determination that had allowed him to soldier on despite everything kept him moving even as he resisted and pleaded in a silent scream of denial, and when he reached his tent, he summoned instead that raging and choking ball of rage and guilt that had been the fuel his body needed as he stepped inside and closed the tent's flap behind him in one smooth movement.

Tiki was up and off of their cot the second she heard him approaching, and he noted with a pained flinch that she hadn't bothered to ready herself for the night without him. Her emerald eyes were shining still with concern as she closed the distance between them in a handful of short strides, and she reached to brush her fingertips gently along his cheek as she murmured with obvious relief, "Cail... Thank goodness..."

The feeling of her skin on his almost undid him, and with a strength of will Cail hadn't known he had possessed, he stepped back and away from her touch. Her hand hovered for a moment in the empty air, and she lowered it slowly, a look of hurt crossing her face at his wordless rejection even as she accepted it in the same instant. Cail welcomed the stab of pain that look brought to him, and he added it to the whirling storm within his chest, allowing it to grow and remind him of all of the whys that had led him to the conclusion he had reached.

"Tiki... There's something I need... to tell you." It took effort, great effort to get the words out, and he could feel his body instinctively fighting against the commands as his good hand clenched into a fist at his side. Tiki watched him wordlessly, biting her lower lip as she waited for him, and she folded her arms behind her back to resist the urge to try and touch him again. Inhaling deeply, Cail reached deep within himself for that core of steel, and his voice was quiet, drained but still sincere when he closed his eyes and began huskily, "I... I never once... thought that I deserved you. I never allowed myself to think that it was even possible for me to become worthy of you, no matter how this war played out, or however I spent the rest of my lifetime... but when... when you came to me and told me you loved me, for the first time... I thought maybe, just maybe... if _you_ believed I could stand at your side... that would be enough for me."

Tiki felt her fingernails digging in hard into the palms of her hands, but she didn't feel the pinpricks of pain as she studied Cail's face with a growing sensation of unease. She couldn't speak, her throat was too tight and her lips were sealed together, but every inch of her body was begging her to quiet him somehow. She had sensed his unrest the moment she had let him go in the Dragon's Table after Validar's defeat, but out of respect for him and his surging emotions, she had said nothing and waited. She knew nothing of the pain he was feeling, of the internal war that had to be raging within him, and she loved him too much to push before he was ready to come to her.

Now, as she watched him struggling with his words, knowing that what he wanted to say would be something that she didn't want to hear, Tiki almost regretted giving in to her compassion for him. There was misery etched into his face, ageing him by decades despite his youth, and weighing him down under a burden that even he couldn't ignore. She yearned to reach for him again, but she knew her touch was unwelcome, and she held herself as still as she possibly could in order to fight the desire. The pain in her palms kept her steady, but she wished for the strength to speak as the silence stretched on between them as Cail continued to fumble for words that she didn't want him to say.

Cail forced himself to return her gaze, reading the emotion in her expression and memorizing it so he could carry it within him for as long as he would live. Seeing the unease in her eyes, that dawning realization that she was fighting only seemed to confirm everything that his father had claimed of him, and the feeling of self-loathing increased to the point of pain as he muttered in a voice so low and shaky it barely seemed to be his own, "I know now that... it was just a dream. A dream so far beyond my reach that I was a fool for chasing after it. Even though you didn't care, even though I know you think I am a better man than I truly am... It... doesn't matter anymore. Knowing who I am now... Knowing _what_ I am now... I'm not deserving of your love. I'm not worthy to love you. I never will be."

The words were physical blows as they confirmed that growing terror that had been chilling her blood, and Tiki heard herself gasp as she understood completely the depth of her husband's self-hatred over what he had learned of himself at the Dragon's Table. Arguments spun wildly in and out of her mind, fleeing her before she could grip tight and hope to give words to them, and she could only stare at him in horror as she tried to digest what he was saying through the shock. Only two words escaped her as she shook her head in disbelief, and her voice was a whisper, a childlike plea of confusion and pain as she stared up at her husband's face and read the agony there even as he spoke of leaving her long before he had sworn to do so, "C-Cail... Why...?"

"The daughter of Naga has no place dallying with a man born of Grima's heart."

There was a moment of shocked silence at the answer, and then there was the sound of a growl, a furious noise that no human was capable of making before there was a sharp and crisp smack of flesh on flesh. Cail reeled back, his cheek stinging from the blow Tiki had delivered to him with every ounce of her strength, and he tasted blood in his mouth from the inside of his cheek he had cut on his own teeth from the force of her slap. Her hand was trembling as she held it in the air for a moment, her palm reddening in testament to the strength behind her blow, and when her voice whipped out from between grit teeth, it struck him deeper than any physical strike she ever could make, "I _love_ you, damn you! Since when has that not been enough? I have never once cared for the man you were before we met, because it was who you are now that I let into my heart, and into my bed! The only thing I cared for, the only thing I have _ever_ cared for was if you loved me in return! Not who you were born to be, or were in another world!"

The sheer fury in her voice caught his words in his throat before he could think to speak, and in her blazing emerald eyes he could see tears forming as she shook her head as if to deny him the chance to argue even though no words would come to him. Anguish was at war with her anger, and her slim form was trembling as her hands curled into tight fists at her side like she was of mind to hit him again. He stood still, fighting the urge to take her into his arms and hold her close, and as if she sensed his desire, she abruptly reached for the front of his shirt and hissed before she pulled him close with a sharp yank, "_No_. You are _not_ leaving me like this. I will not stand for it!"

Tiki's mouth pressed insistently to his, cutting off his gasp of surprise as her fingers tightened on his collar and refused to allow him to pull away. Any and all arguments he had fled his mind as she took advantage of his parted lips to increase the passion, and he couldn't suppress a groan of surprise as she thoroughly controlled the kiss with a hunger he'd never felt before. His knees weakened underneath her assault, his body reacting despite his better judgement, and then she was yanking at him again, pulling him forward while he was too dazed to protest.

She sidestepped away from him suddenly, and she pushed him hard towards their cot before he could catch his breath. He felt the back of his legs hitting the hard frame, and he sat down heavily and without thought. Tiki pushed again, forcing him onto his back, and he reached thoughtlessly for her as she straddled him in a practised movement. Then she was ducking down, kissing him again, and Cail felt his good sense leave him as his hands moved of their own volition, one cupping the back of her neck while the other rested on the small of her back and held her in place despite the pain ringing out through his forearm.

A shiver went through her as she allowed him to hold her, and her fingers scraped along his torso and up, until she was caressing his face and holding him still as she kissed him with every ounce of her being. He groaned softly against her lips, his hold on her tightening, and she shifted slightly on top of him to better her leverage as the need for air began to make her chest ache. Hating to leave him, Tiki only pulled away by a fraction, her breathing heavy and her fingers again clutching at his shirt to ensure he stayed where he was. He stared up at her with uncomprehending shock, his dark eyes wide and amazed, but the expression did nothing to soothe the pain that was raging wildly within her veins.

Biting her lower lip as she denied herself the urge to kiss him again, and this time to not stop, Tiki felt herself trembling with the force of her emotions. She couldn't loosen her grip on him but she didn't much want to, and she bowed her head against the front of his chest so she didn't have to see his face as her tears began to fall fast and free. She felt Cail's hand caressing her back, reaching up to gently smooth her hair down as he held her close, and she stifled a sob at the tenderness that belied his earlier rejection of her. She could sense his emotions as clearly as she could feel her own, and she knew he was in just as much pain as she was in as they gripped desperately at one another. Yet, underneath that agony there was also longing, a desperate and unquenchable need that she shared, and her voice broke when she pulled away and finally met his gaze again to ask him for the only truth she cared about, "Do you love me, Cail?"

The question was simple, and it broke him in a way that nothing else ever could manage to do. Tears trickled down her cheeks, reddening her creamy skin as she stared at him with such undisguised devotion that his entire body ached for her. For a split second, nothing else mattered to him but the ancient manakete in his arms, and he hated himself for making her ask such a question when the answer had been obvious since the day they had first met. Reaching up, he brushed his fingers along the reddening trails, and then he sat up beneath her, pulling her close as his lips followed his finger's path, kissing away the evidence of her tears as he whispered hoarsely, painfully, "Yes... Yes, of course I do..."

"Then let that be all that matters." Tiki murmured as she closed her eyes and allowed him to attend to her. His contrition sang out in his every movement, but she also sensed his hesitation, and she reached to caress his cheek as he stared up at her with undisguised yearning. Knowing what he was going to say, Tiki shook her head, reaching to press her index finger over his lips to silence him. He closed his eyes underneath her touch but obeyed her wish, and she spoke softly in argument to his unspoken protests, "Cail, I love you... and you aren't what you think you are. The fact that you're in so much pain right now is evidence enough for me."

Shaking his head even though her words touched him, even though he wanted to believe her, Cail kissed her fingertip before gently pulling her hand away from his face. He didn't let it go, however, moving his thumb along her knuckles thoughtlessly as she squeezed his hand in return. He knew she believed what she was saying with every ounce of her being, she had never been one for lies, but all the same, Cail knew better. The brand that stained his skin violet was proof of enough, and with a sickened clench in his stomach as his father's words reminded him of how much damage he had already done, Cail let her hand go before he answered her weakly, "I can't. We... We can't. What I am... What you are... You would lose everything if you stayed with me."

"I would lose everything if you walked away." Tiki corrected him firmly, and a flash of anger flickered across her face when she again reached to lean his head back so he would once more look at her. She cherished the compassion that made his first concern be of her, and she would never deny that it was his altruism that had first stolen her heart, but she wouldn't allow for him to follow through with where it would lead him. Her own selfishness wouldn't allow for it. She needed him far too much to let him walk away from her.

Her fingertips brushed down Cail's cheek and down his throat, and she traced the dragon's wing charm that he'd worn so proudly ever since she had given it to him for his birthday. She felt him shiver underneath her caress, and with a growing knot in her throat, Tiki followed her instincts as she spread her hands across his chest and again pushed him gently onto his back. He didn't resist her, and taking the initiative, she pulled slowly on his shirt and tugged it up and over his head while minding the arm that she knew was still paining him. Her hands roamed the tanned length of his torso, mapping out the scars that wrapped their way around him without needing to look, and she savoured the way his breathing hitched at her caress.

She knew he was about to protest, about to tell her to stop, and Tiki interrupted his arguments by leaning down and kissing him once again. He stiffened underneath her, his good arm lifting to settle his hand along her shoulder, but any strength that had been behind him melted away as her tongue slid past his open lips to urge him to answer as he always did. His palm slid up to rest on her throat as he relaxed with a defeated groan, and she murmured her approval as she shifted to straddle him properly. A soft sigh of satisfaction escaped her as the proof of his arousal pressed needfully against her core, and his answering hiss of pleasure gave her the courage to continue on.

Tiki sat up smoothly, loosening the ties that held up her dress with a smooth tug, and before Cail could react, pulled the crimson garment up and over her head before tossing it somewhere to the side. He inhaled sharply as she pulled the ribbon tying up her hair loose next, sending her spring-green curls cascading down her shoulders, and she let out a pleased murmur as his fingers almost immediately lifted to tangle within them. Biting on her lower lip with breathless expectation, she shifted her hips again, urging him wordlessly, and he answered with a low, anguished groan before he was pulling her fiercely to him.

Cail wasn't gentle as his mouth found hers and they exchanged feverish kisses for several heated instants as they pulled desperately at the remaining clothing that kept their bodies from connecting properly. The dark-eyed tactician fought for breath as he pushed his wife down into the thin mattress of their cot, and her arms wrapped tightly about his shoulders to keep him firmly on top of her. His voice was low and heavy as her legs stirred restlessly against his when he asked the one question that would never cease to bring him unease and confusion, even when she was holding onto him like she could never imagine letting him go, "Why...?"

"Even the rest of my long, long life is too short a time to find the words and properly explain the answer." Tiki murmured against his lips, and she groaned low in her throat as he slid deep inside of her where she was aching for him the most. Shuddering in pleasure as he froze on top of her, gasping as he savoured the connection they both had been desperate for, words ceased to matter as her legs wound tightly about his hips and pulled him forward for that sweet rhythm that made her burn in a way that made dragon's fire seem pale and cold.

Gritting his teeth, Cail surrendered to his instincts over his doubts, unable to resist as Tiki's fingernails raked down his bare back and spurred him on. His body moved of its own volition, pushing in deep as she answered him automatically, and the sounds of their pleasure filled their tent as they clung to one another. His chest ached each time he moved, and guilt burned against his satisfaction when she called his name against his ear. Turning his face against her throat, he attacked her sensitive skin with nips and licks, marking her creamy flesh as he ground out words he knew he had no right to speak, "I love you... so damned much...!"

The agony in his words broke Tiki's heart, and her arms squeezed about his shoulders in answer. She wouldn't let him go, no matter how much he hated himself for surrendering to his desires, and her skin burned unbearably underneath his ministrations. Her fingers combed through his unruly curls to hold him in place, her body moving desperately against his to increase the depth of his penetration, and her voice was breathless and pinched when she moaned into his lips, "Don't... let me go... Please don't leave me..."

The sound of her begging undid him, broke apart every last hesitation and doubt that had convinced him to do exactly what she feared, and he cursed himself for being the one to force such words to leave her. He gripped her with his good hand, anchoring her to him with as much force as he was capable of, and though his injured arm cried out with protest, he cupped her cheek and turned her face to his, pulling away just enough so she could see his eyes as he promised hoarsely, "Never... I won't... ever walk away from you... I'm sorry... I'm so... so sorry..."

Closing her eyes tightly as his words burnt through to her core and chained her down in the midst of the hurricane of anxiety, Tiki pressed her lips to his palm and held on for dear life. It was too much for her, far too much, and her legs tightened about his hips as she arched off of the bed to take him as deep as he possibly could go. A soft gasp escaped her as his mouth burnt a path down her throat, and she bit on her lower lip to stifle a cry when he found her breasts and began to attend to them. She protested weakly as she felt his injured arm wrapping around her waist, her voice strained with pleasure as Cail's tongue circled around one taut peak before switching to the next, "Cail... Your arm..."

"No." The word escaped him in a low growl, and to punctuate his denial, the silver-haired tactician's hips moved in a ruthless thrust. Tiki cried out in alarm, unprepared for his assault, then it ceased to matter as his uninjured hand joined his mouth in torturing her sensitive skin. His desperation roughened his every movement, made his hold on her unrelenting and strong, but she shared his desire and returned each caress and movement with one of her own. He groaned deep in his throat as her fingers jerked in his hair, and he ceded to her as she pulled him up from his work and laid claim to his mouth with hers.

She kissed him hungrily, refusing to let him win as they moved furiously together. Something wild and untamed was surging between them, and as Tiki's ankles locked behind his waist, she allowed for it to control her. For a brief moment the rest of the world fell away from them, and his mouth was at her ear as he whispered her name with every thrust of his hips as if it was a litany. She arched off of the cot as the coil of sensation became too much for her to bear, and she gasped against his lips as her climax broke apart her sanity and triggered his an instant later, "C-Cail!"

Then it was over, a fleeting instant of bittersweet ecstasy as they clung together with all the strength they could muster, and they collapsed together amidst the sheets and tangled limbs while fighting desperately for breath. Tiki felt herself trembling as her heart beat wildly out of control, and she couldn't suppress a little gasp when she felt Cail stirring within her as he made to move off of her. She reached automatically for him, not wanting to be without his warmth for even an instant, and she sighed with relief when he halted in his movement. After a moment he gently pulled her into his arms, nuzzling against her shoulder and resting on his side with her as she pressed herself tightly to his chest while they caught their breath and came down from the high.

Tiki shifted slightly, pulling the sheets with her to cover their entwined bodies, and she gently kissed his chest before allowing her hand to move slowly, tenderly, along that familiar scar that twisted up his side. She felt him shiver once more, a reflex reaction that he never seemed to be able to stop no matter how many times she caressed him, and she lifted her chin to look at his face as they lay curled together in silence. His dark chocolate-brown eyes were warm as her touch moved further up his side before she gently trailed her fingertips over the reddening skin she had struck without thinking, and her heart twisted guiltily before she began weakly, "Cail, I... I'm..."

"Don't." Cail interrupted her quietly as he read the contrition in her expression, and he turned his head slightly, kissing the palm of her hand before he held it firmly against his cheek. With his free hand he traced the now invisible trails her tears had made on her cheeks, and he continued huskily when she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, "I deserved it and more, many times over. I let my insecurities get the better of me... and I hurt you. More then anyone... I know how much our being together means to you... and I almost broke my promise because of my own weak heart."

"You're allowed to falter, Cail... Everyone does. I don't blame you for fearing what you've learned... and even though I hate your logic, I do admire the love that made you reach the conclusion you did because of it." Tiki flinched at the sour words on her tongue, but she forced herself to continue, knowing that Cail would never stop feeling guilty for hurting her if she didn't. She knew his heart better then anyone, and she leaned forward, gently brushing her lips to his as she murmured, "But you aren't who you fear you are... You never could be. And if I must remind you of that every day for the rest of your life, I am more then willing to do so. You are _you_, Cail. A brilliant man with a heart of gold, the father of my child, and the one who reminded me that life had so much more to it then I ever believed it could."

Slowly, Tiki pushed him onto his back, leaning over him as a hint of steel entered her voice when she saw the indecision creeping back into his face at her words. She took his hand in hers, turning it over to reveal that violet brand that marked his flesh, and without letting it go, she stared challengingly into his eyes as she continued firmly, "This brand that you bear may prove that you and Grima have some connection, but that is all. Your heart is your own. It was you who risked your life to save mine before you even knew who I was. It was you who held me close every time I woke up from a nightmare. And it was you who swore your love to me. Grima would never have done any of those things."

Cail felt himself smiling despite himself at her insistence that would brook no arguments, and though he did want to protest, when she was glaring at him with those bewitching emerald eyes... he had no choice but to allow her victory. Squeezing the hand that held his, Cail reached up with his other to gently draw her back down and against his chest. His lips covered hers sweetly, telling her wordlessly that he would not argue her point, and he sighed quietly when she relaxed into him with a pleased murmur, "Even though I don't believe nearly as much in myself as you do... I know one thing and one thing only; my life began with you, and I'll have it end with you, as well. If you'll stand beside me no matter what, then I have no reason to falter again. I love you, Tiki."

"I love you, too, Cail... More and more with each passing day..." Tiki answered in a whisper, and she wound her arms about his neck and allowed him to kiss her again. He was warm and gentle with her as he held her close, and for the first time since they had left Plegia's castle so many weeks beforehand, Tiki felt the peace returning to the man she loved. So much had happened since that day when Validar had forced him to steal the Fire Emblem, too much, but somehow, using her an anchor, Cail had managed to once again find his calm in her arms.

Sighing her name against her lips, Cail closed his eyes as he savoured the feeling of peace that wrapped around his aching heart and allowed him to relax in is wife's embrace. She accepted all of him and without hesitation, and he was grateful for the love she was so willing to give to him. He only knew one way to respond to her warmth, to repay her kindness, and he wrapped one arm around her waist before the other raised up slightly to brush his knuckles gently along her reddening cheeks. She tilted her head slightly into the caress, a tender flame burning in her emerald eyes, and he muttered that vow he had shared with her so long ago before their lips met again, "For as long as I live, Tiki... I swear... I will never leave you..."

**AN:**

**My penchant for really long oneshots has returned. -laugh- I really do write really long oneshots, eh? I've noticed that since I've entered the FE:A circle, and it kind of worries me... Yet, whenever I try to shorten it, I always feel like I'm not doing enough, and it ends up just the same length as all my other oneshots, so I can't ever seem to do anything about it... Gah. I'm sorry for making you guys trek through these things, man...! The only thing I can really say is I'm happy if you stick around to the end, and I'm also extremely grateful for it!**

**Ahem, so, back to the matter at hand... Well, I did a SkyexChrom story about this topic, and I felt it was only fair I do a CailxTiki one. (It's true, and as many of you guys have noticed, Cail and Tiki really are my OTP from FE:A. I love them way too much. I need to stop focusing so much on them. XD) Now, as anyone who read "Mild Moonlight" may have realized... Yes, I had this oneshot planned out way back when I was writing the Light Trilogy. I just never got around to doing it because... Well, speaking honestly, it was extremely painful for me to do to them. As Mi-chan will probably tell you, I do a lot of cruel things to these two, and it's seriously unfair, but for reasons I will never understand, I cannot seem to _stop_. That's really why ATJ ended on such a high note, it was basically one really big apology letter to Cail for taking a stick called life and beating him black and blue with it. **

**And I did it all over again, which makes me feel like an ass. This oneshot was seriously one wild rollercoaster of emotion, and I'm sincerely worried about how it turned out as a consequence. I'm not really good with action scenes, so the fight scene at the beginning is likely terrible, but the story needed it as Cail's breakdown afterwards would have made very little sense... And, of course, considering who he's married to, I always wondered just how much of a slap in the face finding out his real heritage had to be. Tv Tropes even lampshades this on their FE:A page by remarking just how badly the avatar and Tiki kill the "Starcrossed Lovers" trope by marrying. And I had to milk it for all it's goddamn worth because I'm an asshole that way.**

**For trivia, this actually is something I did in my playthrough with Cail. I sent him alone after Validar once the floor was cleared of enemies, and... Well, Cail took some damage in the fight, then proceeded to one-shot Ignis/Critical him. I was very impressed, and a little scared. Cail, after all, is a perfect example of the "Beware The Nice Ones" trope, much like his wife... and that's why this story was the way it was. -sigh-**

**So, please drop a review if you feel the need, and sorry for doing two TikixCail stories in a row. The next one is a family-centric story starring the exalted family, and I hope you guys enjoy it! I am seriously having fun writing Lucina and Skye at the moment, and I'm excited to finish it and post it. So keep on reviewing and I'll keep on writing! Have a nice day, and happy reading! -hands out cookies-**

**Mood: Introspective.**

**Listening To: "Simple and Clean" - Utada Hikaru**

**~ Sky**


	4. What Was Once Lost

**Title: What Was Once Lost**

**Genre/Rating: Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort. (T)**

**Setting: Morgan's Recruitment.**

**Characters: Lucina, Morgan, Skye, Chrom.**

**Summary: Years had passed since the last time Lucina had seen her little brother's face, and her heart ached every time she thought of the promise she had failed to keep to the trusting young boy who had once climbed into bed with her when the nightmares became too much for his tender heart. She missed the smiling, eager youth she had shared her short but happy childhood with, and every day she hated herself more and more for breaking the vow she had made to keep him safe, and to never leave his side.**

* * *

_Small feet padded silently across the sprawling bedroom, and with a quiet grunt of exertion, the owner of those feet pulled himself up and onto the spacious bed that rested opposite of his own. The bed's occupant slept on, oblivious to his presence, and as carefully as he possibly could, he shuffled over to her. He reached to gently touch her shoulder, his hands trembling with a mixture of apprehension and need, and his voice was quiet, almost a whimper as he called for his older sister, "Lucina...?"_

_A sleepy grumble answered his wish, and he watched silently as the bigger form of his sister twisted about underneath the sheets. For a heart-stopping moment, the young boy thought perhaps she wouldn't wake up at all, but his worries were unfounded as a pair of sea-blue eyes, so much his his father's, finally blinked open. Even in the dark he could see the discontent in his sister's face as she realized she had been woken up in the middle of the night, and her voice was sharp as she rubbed sleepily at her eyes and scolded him, "Morgan...? What are you doing up? It's too late to play."_

_Morgan said nothing, merely sitting up and putting his hands into his lap and looking down, and Lucina's grumpy tirade stopped before it could truly begin. The older sister blinked several more times, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness of their bedroom, and she gazed at her brother in concern as she noted the way he was slouching and breathing deeply. His eyes were shining, wide and frightened, and Lucina felt her ire melting away to be replaced with warmth as she understood. Lifting the sheet to welcome her brother underneath, she spoke quietly, softly, "Did you have a scary dream again?"_

_Without a word the young prince scuttled underneath the blankets, pressing himself firmly into Lucina's welcoming arms, and she hugged him close as she felt the wetness of his tears on her neck. His slim form was trembling with the force of his fright, and she tightened her hold obediently on him to reassure him that as long as he was with her, he was safe. Pressing a clumsy kiss to the top of his head as she had seen and felt her mother do so many times before when she was soothing their upset, Lucina held Morgan close as she murmured, "It's okay, Morgan... You're safe now. I've got you."_

_Tears flowed fast and free down Morgan's face as he clung desperately to her, and his body shook with broken sobs as the fright and grief of his dream threatened to break him apart. Lucina held him tight through it all, petting his hair comfortingly, and he was glad for her warmth that was always nearby. Ever since his earliest memory he had never had to look far to find her, and it was only in her arms that he found safety and comfort when their parents were away from the castle._

_With the damp of his crying still staining his reddened face, Morgan pulled away to look intently at his sister's expression. He squinted through the night, reading the honest concern and love in the face only two years older then his, and though he knew she had never once told him a lie, he couldn't stop himself from asking for reassurance. His young voice was full of challenge and longing, both a signal of his fear and desire for comfort as he asked her, "Do you promise? Forever and ever?"_

_Lucina nodded at once, her protective instincts for the young one in her arms flaring up high and daring the world to ever try to harm her little brother. Her mother and father had always stressed her role as the older sibling, that it was her duty to look after the boy who had been born after her, and Lucina had never once considered doing otherwise. She spoke in her best solemn voice, mimicking the way her father spoke as best she could to better give Morgan comfort as she promised, "Forever and ever, Morgan. You'll always be safe with me."_

_For the first time since he had woken up in a cold sweat with his heart pounding out of control in his head, Morgan felt himself smiling. It was a tremulous and tearful expression, but the icy claw of terror that had been wrapping around his chest was being melted by the heat of his sister's arms, and her fierce devotion to him. She answered the smile at once, loving and tender and proud, and Morgan snuggled up close as he knew she wouldn't tell him to sleep in his own bed now that he had been comforted. Her arms loosened just enough to let him get comfortable and close, and he mumbled into her shoulder as he gave her a gentle squeeze, "Remember that you promised, Lucina..."_

"_I will never forget, Morgan."_

The memory was not new to the young princess as she came back to reality with a flinch, and Lucina heaved a quiet sigh as she gazed at the strips of bandaging she had been busy tying around her forearm before she had been lost in her reverie. The sounds of her comrades, both from her own time and the past, filled the empty ruins that had been their location of battle that day, and Lucina shook her head a little as her heart throbbed with that all-too-familiar feeling of guilt and self-loathing for her acute failure to keep her promise.

It had been years since she had last glimpsed Morgan's face, long, long years ago when the only duty she had known was caring for the little brother she loved so much. Like their parents before him, he had simply vanished from the castle, and no guard, maid, or comrade could explain how he had disappeared. Theories had been tossed about wildly, and Lucina had led more then one fruitless search for her brother, but when the war reached their doorstep and friends and family began to fall on the battlefield, there had been no choice but to move forward.

Forcing herself to continue with her doctoring, Lucina gritted her teeth tightly as she reminded herself that even though she had failed in her own time, she could still succeed in keeping her unborn brother safe. If the future she had come from was diverted it would leave her family safe, and that alone was the only way she could make it up to the brother she had broken her promise to. The thought was a bittersweet one, but it was the only solace she had, and she had to take it lest the guilt crush her before she could succeed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by approaching footfall, and recognizing the crisp and even step of her mother, Lucina looked up at once. Her greeting was stillborn as she took in the intense, serious and troubled look on the brunette tactician's face, and automatically Lucina pushed herself to her feet as everything else was forgotten. It was rare that she saw her mother look such a way, not when Skye's true character was a smiling and somewhat mischievous woman, and Lucina felt a pulse of fear as she worried that perhaps something had gone wrong without her knowledge to one of their friends. "Mother? Has something happened? Is someone hurt?"

The immediate question softened the crease in Skye's brow for a moment, but that look of intensity didn't fade even as she shook her head slowly to relieve Lucina's fear. However, she didn't sit alongside her daughter, but instead remained standing, her arms folded about herself and her dark chocolate-brown eyes hard but troubled. She ran a hand tiredly through her tousled curls, showing a still-bleeding gash on her cheek that she hadn't bothered to treat, but Lucina failed to find it a concern as Skye shook her head again, inhaled deeply and then met her gaze. Her voice was low, questioning, and there was a hint of anger mixed with a longing desire to understand as she asked her daughter slowly, seriously, "Lucina... Why did you never tell us about your brother?"

Lucina staggered as the question struck her like a physical blow, and she was only numbly aware of Skye catching her by the shoulders and steadying her with a surprised exclamation. Gratefully leaning into her mother's hand, Lucina shook her head as her heart began racing out of control in her ears. Fear for her lies and the never-ending self-hatred made her body quiver despite her best efforts, and she swallowed convulsively as she asked her mother hoarsely, "How did you know about Morgan?"

Skye said nothing for a long moment, her hands gentle despite the frustration in her eyes, and she carefully eased her daughter back onto the broken column that she had been using as a seat a few moments beforehand. She knew her words had greatly shocked her child, but the reasoning why still eluded her, and she had already decided she would not answer any questions Lucina had until her own had been satisfied. Still, she couldn't remain angry when she saw the profound effect mentioning the boy had on her, and her voice softened greatly as she replied, "First tell me why you never said anything about him, Lucina. You had both your father and I believing you were an only child. Why?"

Knowing she owed her mother an answer, Lucina tried to breathe properly so that she could speak. Her body continued to shiver, and her mother wrapped an arm about her shoulders to keep her steady, and though she felt a traitor by accepting it, Lucina couldn't help but lean again into her side for comfort. She shook her head slowly, tears burning in her eyes as she remembered all of those times she had held her brother close and promised him that even though their parents were gone that he still had her, and she answered her mother brokenly as her head bowed and her voice cracked, "I... I failed him, Mother... He... He was gone, long before we decided to come back in time to prevent Grima's return. He just vanished when we were children. We looked everywhere for him, but the war... and the Risen... We couldn't... It was...!"

Skye gritted her teeth together as she watched Lucina press her hand to her mouth as tears burned their way down her cheeks. Understanding made her entire body ache as her daughter succumbed to guilt that she had no right to feel, and wordlessly, Skye pulled her child close and kissed the top of her head. Hating herself for failing her children so completely, Skye swallowed back the painful lump in her throat that made her eyes sting with tears of her own. She held Lucina tightly, supporting her as she tried her best not to sob outright, and she spoke softly, soothingly into her daughter's navy-blue hair, "It's okay, Lucina... You didn't do anything wrong. You had too many duties on your shoulders, and you did what you felt you had to. That is nothing to be ashamed of..."

"I broke my promise to keep him safe. I swore that he'd always be all right as long as I lived and breathed... and I failed." Lucina shook her head slowly, denying her mother's comfort as much as she wished she could take it to soothe her hurt. Raising a hand, she brushed angrily at her eyes, hating herself for her weakness as she knew she deserved the pain she felt for her broken promises. Confusion returned to her as she looked up at her mother and wondered how she had known, and she asked tentatively, not sure if she wanted to know the answer, "But, Mother... How did you... know about Morgan?"

Skye bit on her lower lip, her dark eyes flickering with emotion, and she shook her head almost as if she didn't want to answer. Her daughter's honesty however would not allow her to be so selfish as to not explain, and she reached to gently wipe away a tear her daughter hadn't caught as she explained in a quiet voice, "Lucina... I want you to listen very carefully. In the ruins today, you were fighting in a different area than your father and I... and while we were combing the paths, we... came across someone. A young man. He didn't remember anything from the time he woke up, sprawled not too far from these ruins... Nothing... save me. He had your father's hair, and my eyes... and he called me 'mother'."

Lucina's eyes widened in alarm, and for a moment she was ready to leap to her feet and run, though she wasn't entirely sure where. Her body began to tremble with a mixture of fear, relief, joy and shock, and she stared, uncomprehending at her mother's pained frown. She didn't understand, and she found her stomach clenching tightly from the force of her emotion and confusion. Taking in several deep breaths to calm the sudden upset, Lucina forced herself to find a centre of calm so she could ask her mother tightly, "Y-You... found him here...? H-He's... all right...?"

"As far as I can tell, yes. He came out of the battle better than most of us did... He's pretty handy with that tome he was carrying." Skye reassured her gently, and seeing that the news was doing much more of a number on her daughter then it had on her or Chrom, the dark-haired tactician squeezed Lucina close to her side again. She fought back the urge to grind her teeth angrily at the injustice of it all, and she felt a surge of loathing for the Fell Dragon who had so effortlessly broken apart her family, and left her children helpless without her. Her hand was soothing as it ran down her daughter's hair, and she continued warmly as she sensed Lucina's conflicting emotions, "He's also a rather blithe spirit, despite everything... And he wants to see you."

Tensing even though the words shouldn't have surprised her, Lucina was aware of dual urges that made her freeze up without thinking. She wanted nothing more then to see with her own eyes that her brother was alive and well as her mother claimed he was, but another part of her was content to sit where she was and refuse to accept it. She had given him up for dead so long ago, had abandoned him to an unknown fate, and she was aware of a crippling horror as she wondered at his lack of memory, and his arrival in the past. 'Was it... my fault...? If I'd looked harder... would he... have been okay...? How can I face him after failing him so completely? He has every right to blame me for his current condition... How can I ever look at him again and not feel guilty?'

As if she could hear the thoughts running through Lucina's head, Skye gently but firmly placed her hand on her cheek and turned her face to hers. Her dark eyes glinted with anger, and her expression was stern as she leaned down to touch noses with her daughter. The pain in her child's face made her ache, but she refused to cede to her own emotions when she saw Lucina in so much distress. She kept her voice quiet but intense, knowing that it would force Lucina to listen to her when she began seriously, "Lucina, don't. You have more then enough on your shoulders right now, and the last thing you need is another imaginary burden to weigh you down. Do not blame yourself for what happened to your brother. We may never know what brought him here, and what happened since you were separated, but that is not a burden you have to bear. You did all that you could, long before any sort of duty should have been put on you, and no one is ever going to say that you should have done more. You were a _child, _Lucina. And no child should ever have had to suffer what you and your friends did."

"But, Mother-"

"No." Skye cut her off sharply, and she took Lucina's face in her hands before shaking her head firmly to emphasize her finality. After a beat of silence her expression softened, and she leaned forward, gently pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead before she pulled her close and into a firm embrace. Pressing her face against her hair and squeezing her to her chest, Skye spoke tenderly, allowing her love to win out over her temper as she murmured, "I won't stand for it, do you hear me? I left you alone in your future, and couldn't help you when you needed me the most... but now you're here, right in front of me, and I am not going to make the same mistake as the me in your time did. I love you, and I am not going to let you do this to yourself."

Though she wanted to protest, wanted to keep bearing the cross she believed was hers, Lucina felt the icy heartache in her chest melting against her mother's passion. Closing her eyes tightly, the navy-haired princess nuzzled as close as she could into Skye's arms and savoured the strength in the embrace. She felt safe in those tight arms, and her hurts seemed miles away as she inhaled her mother's scent, roses and parchment paper, and allowed herself to relax. She nodded slowly, swallowing her heartache and saving it somewhere secret and safe for another day, before she lifted her chin and murmured, "Very well, Mother... I understand. I may not agree completely, but I do understand. You win for today."

"That's better then nothing, I guess..." Skye sighed with a mixture of exasperation and frustration, but her voice was soft despite her words. She leaned down to press another kiss to the top of her daughter's hair, and then stood up before offering Lucina her hand. The young princess took it without hesitation, and Skye pulled her to her feet before they left the broken column and began to venture together through their former battlefield. Skye was aware of Lucina's hand tightening about hers, refusing to let go and asking for silent support, and the brunette tactician smiled, happy to give her anything she needed after all she had been through.

The hold abruptly became fierce and crushing as they rounded a corner that gave way to a small alcove, and Skye disguised her wince well as her daughter halted abruptly at her side. Lucina became numb to everything as she stared at the unfamiliar form seated beside her father, and she felt her breath catch as her eyes fell on the similar-looking cloak he wore that seemed like a mirror's design of her mother's. Her heart stopped as she heard her mother call out softly, her voice already full of a similar warmth that told Lucina that even though she had just met her son that she already loved him with every ounce of her being, "Morgan."

The young boy stiffened at the call, and both he and Chrom looked up at once at Skye's voice. A broad smile curled at the tactician-in-training's face at the sight of his mother, and he stood up immediately before halting in surprise. His dark brown eyes, so much like his mother's, blinked twice as he realized she wasn't alone, and he tilted his head to the side in a confused gesture as he looked uncertainly to Skye, and then over his shoulder to Chrom.

'He's grown... so big...' Lucina thought numbly as she gazed at her younger brother, and her heart gave a furious throb inside of her chest as she realized that he had became tall enough to reach her equally in height now. He wore a blade at his waist, and a quick look at its sheath and hilt told her that he was well-versed in wielding it. A fitted pouch about his belt also spoke of a tome he carried, and she remembered her mother's remark that he was skilled in magic. She ached imagining the brightly smiling boy she had grown up with being so capable on the battlefield, but words seemed to fail her as she took him in and saw the child she remembered well within the teenager's face.

She watched the confusion crease her younger brother's brow, and he looked again from Chrom to her as a frown spread across lips much more accustomed to smiling. His head remained tilted for a moment, his tense posture relaxed, and a hint of a smile curled at his mouth despite the lack of recognition in his expression. His voice was quiet, hesitant but still full of that same light warmth that made Lucina's heart throb with nostalgic pain when he called questioningly, slowly, "Lucina...?"

"_Lucina, Lucina! Come and play with me, Lucina!"_

Lucina only felt her feet pulling her away from her mother's side, and her hand slid free of Skye's grip before she was aware of what she was doing. For a split instant she hoped that her body was taking her away from her brother, that she was fleeing for safety against the strangeness that was this past world, but her heart betrayed her mind and took her forward in an abrupt sprint she couldn't control. She didn't think, only acted, and before she could regain control she had thrown her arms tightly around the surprised boy and pulled him close with a soft, broken whisper, "Morgan!"

The boy stiffened in alarm at the sudden embrace, his arms reaching up automatically to return it before he froze in confusion. He looked helplessly over Lucina's head at his mother, but she didn't react to his silent plea for aid and left him to flounder on his own. After a moment, he allowed himself to relax, and slowly, hesitantly, he wound his arms as carefully as he possibly could about the slightly trembling princess. He spoke weakly, still reeling from the feeling of her embrace yet somehow knowing it was right for him to be on the receiving end of it, "I-I'm sorry... I don't... Y-You _are_ Lucina, right...? Y-You're my... older sister...?"

"Yes." Lucina whispered hoarsely into his shoulder as her arms tightened fiercely about his waist to hold him more firmly to her. Though the words sunk through her momentary joy to be holding her brother again and reminded her that he was as painfully lost as she was, she still couldn't help but feel comfort in his solid warmth. He was there for her to embrace, to feel, which only confirmed that she was in no dream and that he was real. It felt strange to be confirming such a thing to him, after all of the times she had comforted him with that fact alone, but she took the fact as she knew she had to as she answered him in a weak murmur, "Yes, I am you're older sister..."

"I'm sorry..." Morgan's voice was shaky and apologetic as his arms suddenly squeezed tightly about her, and she heard the small, tremulous break deep within as she sensed his honest pain. The confusion was at war with that warm altruism she had always known her brother to have, and even as he was aching, he still repeated his apology in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry... I don't... I don't remember you... I'm sorry..."

Shaking her head even though she was touched by his contrition, Lucina forced a smile to her face and pulled away from him so she could look clearly into his eyes. There were tears sparkling deep in the dark chocolate pools that he had inherited from Skye, and hidden beneath them, though it was difficult to see, Lucina could still glimpse that brand that was so much like hers in his opposite eye. He was her brother, she knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt, and nothing mattered in that instant but the fact that he was in front of her, in her arms, and okay. She shook her head again, allowing her smile to grow before she answered him softly, gently in reply to his contrition, "It doesn't matter, Morgan... I'm just... so happy that you're all right... that you're _here_..."

Morgan swallowed audibly, searching for something to say before the smallest hint of a hesitant but warm smile began to curl at his lips. Her words were earnest, and he could feel as much as he could see that she was beyond delighted to see him again even if he was without his memory of her, or their father. His eyes stung with tears, but he felt warmth, a strange sense of completeness that he knew his sister was sharing when he returned her nod. The lack of memory did nothing to stop the feelings of being home, being safe amongst strangers, and he replied with a hoarsely little chuckle he couldn't quite stop, "I-I'm happy I'm here, too..."

Laughing brokenly at the weak jab for humour that somehow made the rest of her pain bearable, Lucina again threw her arms about her brother and held him tightly. He returned the embrace for all he was worth, squeezing desperately and burying his face in her hair, and it was dear to her even as the breath left her at his force. His strength surprised her faintly, reminded her that her little brother had grown so much since she had last seen him, but as they clung together she found it to be of little consequence. The passage of time, the loss of his memories meant nothing against the fact that they were still family, that he still needed her to keep him grounded, and she could hear his shaky breathing as he fought back sobs, something that only confirmed that fact.

Curling her fingers into the back of his cloak, Lucina let him squeeze her tight even as her lungs ached for breath. She needed the embrace as much as he did, as the navy-haired princess wasn't sure if his amnesia was her fault, and her mother's words that they may never know what brought him to them in such a state was no balm to her guilt-ridden heart. She knew she had failed him, and though the extent wasn't as terrible as it could have been if he was still there for her to comfort, she would never forget that fact. Still, her arms tightened about her brother, and a defiant sort of recklessness filled her from head to toe as she dared the world to ever try to make her repeat her past mistakes. His return to her, to their family, was a second chance unlooked for, and one she would clutch with both hands. She was a little girl no longer, and she had the strength she needed to ensure that this time, her family would survive the hell that had come at them in the form of a dragon with fangs bared and eyes blazing.

She glimpsed her mother coming to her father's side over Morgan's shoulder, and watched as Skye's hand slipped into Chrom's and delivered a squeeze. There was a look of pained pride shining on her face, a bittersweet happiness that made her dark eyes glint and her lips thin, but still she allowed her children to have their moment, knowing that they needed it much more then they would ever speak aloud. Grateful for their understanding, and allowing it to soothe just a little of her pain, Lucina pressed her face into Morgan's shoulder, speaking quietly but firmly and with every ounce of the conviction that made her strong as she repeated the promise she had failed to keep before but now would never fail again, "It's okay, Morgan... You're safe now. I've got you."

**AN:**

**... Nope. Not much to say here, really. I just... couldn't do very much about this, for some weird reason. I tried really hard, but... Yeah. This fic just isn't up to my standard, and I do not know why. I guess I just gotta try harder. -frowns and absently kicks my laptop- I will figure it out in due time, I suppose. Sibling fics are HARD! -grumpy-**

**So, this came from a very long ago conversation I had with Michiru Shiroku (If you haven't read her work you need to close this fic immediately, search her name, and read her fics. Right. Now. What are you still doing reading this? OFF WITH YOU! -shoos with a broomstick-) about our favourite amnesiac son or daughter. So little is given to everybody about Morgan, so theories and guesses are everywhere... and this one happens to be mine. And it's not even that detailed of a theory. XD I really just wanted to write Morgan's appearance from Lucina's point-of-view, especially since her support with her brother doesn't touch on the fact that he has amnesia like the sibling supports Female Morgan has. And that has to be just as much of a painful thought for her to carry as it does for any of Female Morgan's potential siblings, so... Yup, I had to do this.**

**Plus, Lucina is a very... driven young woman, who carries a lot of burdens on her shoulders that she shouldn't. I cannot see her **_**not**_** blaming herself for her little brother's condition, and being both elated and terrified to see him this way. It really is a Lucina-centric fic at the end of things, which isn't really how I planned to do this, but... Well, I wanted to write it, and the Exalted family needed a bit more love after all the TikixCail stuff I've been doing. **

**Which by the way, I'm sorry for. -ducks incoming pillows- I know, I'm mean. And I should stop being mean. But I swear, if I'm not mean to one pairing, I'll end up being mean to another, and that's not exactly what I wanna do, you know? -laughs- But, I promised more focus on the Exalted family... I just warn you that said focus won't always be nice and fluffy like "Sun-kissed Mornings", you know? -ducks other incoming objects-**

**Anyway, so, after this, I believe... I am doing a Severa and Owain story, one that branches off of "By The Springs". I have been getting harassed to do this bridge, and have finally decided that I may as well give it a shot. -laughs- So, expect that from me sometime, though I'm not entirely sure when. Writing has kind of hit a wall for me lately, and it's not been easy to surmount. Still, I love my writing and I love my couples, so I will work on it.**

**PS: I just keep running into laptop troubles. I'm hoping to get a repair done soon, but I can't say much about when or how much it'll cost, or how long I won't have a computer for. Gods know if it's for more then a week that I probably will lose my head entirely. -sheepish laugh- This thing is my lifeline... and I can't ever go that long without writing, either... Still, if I don't get this blasted problem with the screen fixed, I may just snap and break the damn laptop, so... Better to grin and bear it then have nothing but paper to write on, you know? I shall keep you guys in the loop as things happen!**

**So, as always, please leave a review if you feel the need, and happy reading you guys! :3**

**Mood: Disappointed.**

**Listening To: "Centuries" - Fallout Boy**

**~ Sky**


	5. From Mother To Daughter

**Title: From Mother To Daughter.**

**Genre/Rating: Family, Humour. (T)**

**Setting: Hot Spring Scramble, Post "By The Springs".**

**Characters: Skye, Lucina.**

**Summary/Prompt: "While it won't exactly be a 'family' bath, why don't you and I go in for a soak together tonight?" Skye's request was met with a momentary stare of confusion and surprise, and the brunette tactician had to stifle a laugh as her daughter shook her head and then smiled in eager acceptance. It wasn't as if they didn't have much to discuss together, especially when Skye's eyes fell on the golden band that now adorned Lucina's ring finger, but all the same... She did want to give what happy memories she could to the young woman from the future who believed too firmly that once the war ended, her time with her family would also be over and done with.**

* * *

Lucina giggled softly as she felt her mother's fingers comb gently, repeatedly through her hair, and she couldn't help but squirm a little against Skye's knees as she sat patiently at her feet. She heard Skye laugh at her from above, amused that her daughter was so ticklish, and she scolded her lightly as she continued to wash her hair while the hot springs bubbled about them in the cool mountain air, "I am not going to be responsible if soap gets in your eyes, Lucina. Stay still and quit your squirming!"

"I'm sorry!" Lucina tried to apologize as best she could through her laughter, but she did as she was told regardless. Folding her hands about her towel's hem, she squeezed her eyes tightly closed as the cold rock underneath her bare legs fought against the steam that rose from the spring's surface just to her left. Skye sat on a stool just behind her, attending to her daughter's long hair at her playful request Lucina hadn't expected her to take seriously, but neither woman minded as they sat together in the cool night. Lucina had to admit she was actually rather glad to for it, and her mother's touch was gentle and her voice sweet, reminding her of better days when war had been nothing but a strange sounding word and not a way of life.

Leaning gently back against her mother's knees, Lucina closed her eyes and sighed with contentment as Skye continued with her work. Her fingers ran themselves expertly through her hair, kneading and scrubbing, and though Lucina admitted to feeling a little strange to be attended to in such a way at her age... another, and much larger part of her was happy to simply soak up the moment. Skye had begun to hum, likely without much realizing what she was doing as she washed her daughter's hair, and remembering the tune well as one of her favourite lullabies, Lucina couldn't resist adding her voice to her mother's in a similar pitch.

This stopped Skye short, drawing Lucina's attention as the hands that had been immersed in her navy hair suddenly pulled away. Blinking in surprise, Lucina turned about, carefully brushing the soap away from her eyes to look up and see Skye's astonished expression. She had no time to ask what the matter was as Skye's eyebrows furrowed together, and she asked quietly but not sharply to prove that she was only caught off guard and not upset, "You know that song, Lucina?"

"Of course. You sung it to Morgan and I every night when we were children." Lucina answered with a small smile at the memory, but she bit on her lower lip as she noticed a painful flickering of emotion in Skye's eyes at the reply. Not liking the mood being soured, and concerned that she had done something wrong by joining in with her mother's tune, Lucina asked hesitantly, "What is it, Mother? Is something the matter?"

Skye frowned a little, not entirely looking as she wanted to answer, but after a beat she let out a sigh and shook her head. Her smile returned, though it was somewhat pinched when she answered with a hint of odd embarrassment that Lucina didn't quite understand, "Well, speaking quite frankly... I don't exactly know that song, myself. I _think_ it was a lullaby that my own mother sung to me when I was a child, but I can't remember completely. I just know the tune. I made up the words ages ago, when you were first born."

Seeing the contrition on her daughter's face, Skye's smile became more genuine as she reached out to gently tap Lucina's nose with a soapy finger. Laughter twinkled in her dark eyes, proving, as always, that the brunette tactician would never let anything get her down for too long, and her words added credence to it as she continued on warmly, "However, if you still remember it now, and so fondly... I suppose my lyrical skills aren't as bad as I thought they were when I first was trying to put words to music!"

With a firm hand she turned her daughter's head back around, continuing with her forgotten work before she could think about getting a scolding for so quickly brushing off the subject. She felt much better not being underneath the shrewd sea-blue gaze that her daughter had inherited from her father, and having escaped their keen glance that seemed to see inside of her, Skye allowed her tense body to relax with a soft sigh. Her heart throbbed softly within her chest, wondering as that tune echoed in her ears in a voice she did not know, and she mused quietly as Lucina sat still and silent at her feet, "It's one of the... few things I remember from my childhood, I think. I can't entirely be sure. A lot of my past remains a big blank, and I won't lie and say that that doesn't bother me at times... but, after learning who my father was, I can't exactly admit that I'm devastated by the loss of memory, either."

"Mother!"

The gasped words, hot with emotion and sharp with admonishment, made Skye smile despite herself. It was the same tone Chrom had used the very first time she had made light of her amnesia, and she had to admit that even hearing such fierceness on her behalf didn't make her at all inclined to change her ways. Picking up one of the three full buckets on her right, Skye tried her best not to laugh as she emptied it over Lucina's head to interrupt the argument she knew was being formed inside of the princess' mind. She was satisfied by the spluttering Lucina made at the unexpected drenching, and without waiting for the scolding she would get for that piece of mischief, Skye simply did it again with the next and a wicked sing-song voice, "Yes, Lucina?"

Bowing her head underneath the second dump of water, Lucina cursed her mother's impish nature under her breath. Skye was laughing with delight as she rinsed her daughter's hair, but Lucina knew that the second she opened her mouth to speak that the third and last bucket of water would follow suit. Shaking her head somewhat even as Skye's fingers moved gently through her hair, Lucina bit on her lower lip and kept her eyes firmly closed as she muttered sourly and inwardly as she remembered Morgan's mischief from the previous night, 'While it's never been a point of contention, there is really no doubt in who Morgan takes after...'

Satisfied that she had won for the moment, Skye carefully ensured that most of the soap had been washed away before she lifted the third bucket and warned her daughter with a small smile, "Last one, I promise." She waited a moment before pouring it down over her daughter's head, and laughed gently to herself when Lucina tilted her head back and sighed with contentment at not being doused unexpectedly a third time. She earned her reward quickly however when Lucina shook her head suddenly and fiercely, spraying water in her mother's face, and Skye snorted with mirth even as she cursed, "You little-! Gah! Oh come on, you got it right in my face!"

"I could have shoved you bodily into the hot springs again." Lucina pointed out with a smirk as she turned about on her knees to watch with delight as her mother shook her head and rubbed the water from her eyes and face. It wasn't often anyone could beat the brunette at her game of mischief, only Lissa really seemed to be the only one able to meet Skye on equal ground, and Lucina took a moment to enjoy her victory even though she was well aware it would cost her later. Skye traded a playful glare with her for a moment, both mother and daughter tense and ready just in case someone decided to make a move, but all too quickly they dissolved into delighted peals of laughter at their play.

Skye pulled Lucina up from her knees and into a warm embrace, nuzzling gently into her daughter's soaked hair as Lucina eagerly wound her arms tightly about her mother's shoulders. They squeezed tightly, shivering with mirth and sharing their delight over the joke before parting again and sitting side by side at the edge of the spring. Skye dipped her feet into the hot water, leaning back on her hands as she tipped her head up to better see the clear night sky that was peppered with stars. "What a beautiful night..."

"It is." Lucina agreed with a little nod, shifting to copy her mother's pose as they sat close together. The stars glittered brightly against the dark black canopy, and the navy-haired princess smiled a little as her eyes automatically traced the path of old constellations that she remembered learning years ago in her youth. She looked out of the corner of her eye towards the army's tactician, watching the emotions flickering across Skye's face, and she spoke up before she could think to do so, "Mother... Thank you for indulging me tonight..."

"There's no need to thank me." Skye flicked her wrist in a dismissive gesture, shaking her head errantly before she smiled and reached out to brush her fingertips gently along her daughter's reddened cheek. Her voice was warm, carrying both a hint of laughter and admonishment when she playfully tweaked Lucina's nose, "I'm always happy to spend time with you, and I know you know that. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing."

Crinkling her nose even as she couldn't help but giggle along with her mother, Lucina sat up and rested her elbows on her knees as she took in her smile. The words were honest, they always were, but all the same the young princess couldn't help but still feel grateful for the time Skye had taken to be with her. Such moments of true relaxation and levity were difficult enough to come by in days of war, yet Lucina had always been aware of how hard Skye had fought to ensure that the members of her army always had time for one another, even if she had to go without on occasion. That thought made her pause, and with a hint of a smile, Lucina couldn't help but ask mischievously, "Really? You wouldn't rather be with Father right now?"

"And you wouldn't rather be with Inigo?"

The rejoinder was spoken casually, almost conversationally, but Lucina started so badly that for a moment she was afraid she would slip back into the springs. Skye caught her arm, pulling her back to the edge with a loud snort of mirth, and Lucina hung her head as she realized her reaction had been exactly what her mother had been hoping for. Pulling a face at being so easy to embarrass, especially when she had been trying to get such a reaction in the first place, Lucina felt her cheeks burning as she mumbled to her knees, "I was wondering when you would bring that up..."

Shrugging her shoulders errantly, even though Lucina wasn't looking at her, Skye didn't have a quick answer. Instead, she absently kicked her left foot, watching the spray of water she made without much interest. She well remembered the fire that had been shining in the mercenary's eyes the night before when he had asked both her and her husband for permission to marry their daughter, and she still couldn't stop herself from smiling at the thought. She kept her voice light, not wanting to tread too far into sensitive territory where her daughter was concerned, "Well, it's now brought up... but I'll give you the floor. If you don't want to talk about it yet, you don't have to. I'm sure it's still just sinking in."

"Yes, it is..." Lucina admitted sheepishly, and she clenched her left hand into a fist before examining the bare finger that she had been trying to adjust seeing with a ring on it. She had been loathe to take it off since she had been given it, even though it had meant being bombarded with questions whenever a member of their army caught noticed the golden band. She had lost count of the congratulatory hugs she had received, and some of the cheeky comments the more braver comrades had given her still made her ears burn. Shifting her feet in the water somewhat awkwardly, Lucina flexed her fingers as she continued on hesitantly, "Was it... the same for you?"

"When your father proposed?" Skye replied with a raised eyebrow, and Lucina's small nod gave her the confirmation she didn't much need. Instinctively she reached with her opposite hand to run her thumb along her ring finger, and though the band was not there, she had caressed it enough times to know every inch of her wedding ring. She could almost feel the engraving of the royal crest and the smoothness of the opal that was fitted into the metal alongside it, and her lips pulled into a tiny smile as she admitted for her curious daughter, "In a way, yes, but also in a way, not so much... I wasn't expecting the proposal, that much I can say truthfully. I had thought Chrom would wait until the war was over and done with before he did so formally, but... time wasn't our friend in those days."

Lucina watched as pain flickered across Skye's face, and she bit down on her lower lip as if she was reliving a horrible memory. Her eyes had become distant, and her body stilled before her eyes closed and she shook her head slowly from side to side. Her arms wrapped about her middle, shielding herself from the pain of the past, and when she spoke again, there was no disguising the weariness, or the melancholy in her voice, "Emmeryn had just appeared to have died... and your father was suffering greatly from the blow. It was out of that loss however that he decided he didn't want to wait. He showed me the ring, and asked me to marry him once we had found safety in Regna Ferox. I was thrilled, and shocked... and rather hesitant, once the excitement died away. Still, I never doubted that it was what I wanted. I'd known that from the very beginning."

Her smile returned, and Skye shook her head again, but there was gentleness to her expression now as her hold on herself slackened and her eyes warmed with fond memories. The love shone clear and bright on her face, something that made Lucina smile, and Skye nodded to herself as if she was confirming her words inwardly and proudly. Then she turned a little to meet Lucina's gaze, and she added with a hint of indulgent warmth as the peace of the springs wrapped them in a comfortable silence, "Of course, I knew your father was going to ask me eventually. He hadn't exactly made it a secret that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me once the war came to an end... and we had agreed that we would, but it was just an agreement and nothing more. So, I was surprised, but not entirely, if that makes any sense."

"It does... in a strange way." Lucina admitted with a small nod, and she could understand why her mother would have asked for patience in the first place. The brunette woman was fierce in her duties, and despite what her outward appearance would suggest, she had worried often about her status as an amnesiac commoner in her earlier days. That hesitation had left her in the passing years, replaced with a firm sort of confidence that came from living through a war and finding a family on the battlefield, and Lucina had to admit that her mother's growth had always impressed her greatly since she had witnessed it firsthand upon her return to the past. "I... was incredibly surprised on the other hand when Inigo proposed..."

"I'm sure you were. So were we, if I'm being honest." Skye admitted with a laugh at Lucina's words, and she shook her head a little as she remembered the look of astonishment that had come over Chrom's face when he had realized what Inigo was asking him for. It hadn't helped that the noble had already been irritated at the interruption the mercenary had made when he had knocked on their door, but with a quick and firm swat, Chrom had reigned in his temper for the most part and listened to the case Inigo had made when he asked for their daughter's hand. "Speaking only for myself, I didn't expect to be asked for permission. I thought if he was going to ask you that he simply would, and you would tell us in due time what you had planned for your future. After all, the two of you are adults... You don't need our permission to live your lives."

Lucina couldn't help but smile at her mother's honesty, and she was touched by the trust that Skye had in her when her life was concerned. As much as she had admitted that she still had difficulty looking at her children and knowing they were more then capable of taking care of themselves, she still never treated them as anything but adults unless the moment called for something else. Still, Inigo had seemed to think it proper, and Lucina explained so with a light laugh of her own as she remembered his answer when she had asked him why he had put himself through such a trial without reason, "It wasn't my doing, Mother... Inigo simply thought it was called for. He asked both you and Father, and Morgan for permission, and I think if he had been denied, that he wouldn't have asked me last night until he had gained your approval."

"That alone would have made me tell him no if I'd sensed that kind of hesitancy. You need a man with a bit of a backbone, even if you are liable to walk all over him in the first place just because of who you are." Skye scoffed outright at Lucina's words, something that made her daughter redden sharply, but the brunette had a difficult time finding it to be a bad thing. Waving a hand as she struggled not to laugh too hard and appear insulting, Skye allowed herself to calm before she continued in a much more gentler tone, "No, love, I think he only asked because he thought it would be something that you wanted. He cares a lot about you, and he knows how important your family is to you... and the fact that he asked even though he was scared witless was enough for me to say yes."

Biting her lower lip to stop herself from giggling as she well remembered Inigo's confession that he wasn't entirely sure if he was scared more of Skye or Morgan, Lucina fought hard to keep an impassive expression. She had warned him once that while his fear of Chrom was well-founded... it was her mother that he would truly need to worry about, and Inigo had seemed to fully believe her now that he had faced her head-on when asking for her hand. Smiling even though she mused that she should have been at the least a little protective of her fiancee, Lucina had to ask with a tilt of her head, "He mentioned you had threatened to set fire to him if he made me unhappy... was that true?"

"And then some." Skye admitted without shame, and there was a devilish twinkle in her eye as she recalled the way Inigo had looked when she had uttered her promise. He hadn't been surprised, almost as if he had been expecting it, but it was the calm sort of certainty he had shown afterwards that had truly won both her, and Chrom's respect when he had asked her to do so if he ever failed in his quest to make their daughter smile. "As I'm sure you can expect, Chrom did most of the threatening... but, I let him know I wouldn't stand to see anything but a smile on your face while the two of you are together, lest he wants to leave this world slowly and painfully. He promised to take care of you, even before we threatened him, so I'm quite satisfied."

Her expression softened, becoming somewhat longing despite her happiness, and Skye reached out to gently brush her daughter's bangs behind her ear as she studied her face closely. It didn't matter how many times she looked at the young woman who had come from the future, as she always saw the tiny babe she had been loathe to give up to the wet nurses when she had left Castle Ylisse to travel again alongside her husband. She shook her head slowly, sighing a bit with exasperation at herself, and she continued on honestly if a bit sadly, "I'll admit it feels strange to be giving you away so soon after bringing you into the world, but I suppose that's something I'm going to have to come to terms with. I know he loves you, that you love him, and that he makes you smile... and I can be content with that. I _am_ content with that."

"Mother..."

Realizing her words had worried her daughter, Skye shook her head and flicked her wrist to gently dismiss the concern. Lucina gazed at her with a frown creasing her brow, her cheeks reddening in the cool night, and Skye had to chuckle tenderly as she saw the care shining in her sea-blue eyes. Skye reached to pat her daughter tenderly on the cheek, happy for the compassion and proud for her warm heart before she chuckled softly, "Don't listen to me, Lucina. I'll be just fine. It's a mother's job to worry about her children, no matter how old they get. I'm just doing my due diligence."

Pressing her face against her mother's palm, Lucina didn't answer for a long moment as she savoured Skye's tenderness. Her chest ached with a similar sort of bittersweet pain, but she reminded herself that her own sadness at growing up had to be little in comparison to her mother. Squeezing Skye's hand, Lucina couldn't help but feel guilty for the turmoil she was causing, and though she knew it would be unwelcome, she couldn't stop herself from murmuring, "I'm sorry, Mother... But you... you _do_ know that no matter how old I become, I will always be your child, yes? I will never stop being your daughter, and you will never stop being my mother."

A flicker of surprise crossed Skye's face, and for a brief instant, the dark-haired woman looked honestly speechless. Then a smile curled at her lips, a proud, earnest and loving expression, and Skye leaned forward with a delighted laugh and pulled Lucina back into her arms. She nuzzled warmly into her damp hair, squeezing gently as her heart throbbed with a painful bit of joy, and she murmured through a new tightness in her throat, "Of course, love... Of course I know that. And words can't describe how happy I am to hear you say that, too."

Blushing a bit as she realized exactly what her words had meant, Lucina wondered at herself for both her weakness and her earnestness. Only the day before when she had parted from her mother during the battle she had reminded herself that when the war ended that she had no place at her parents' sides, yet she still couldn't seem to find herself capable of truly pulling away from them. It was a confusing sensation, believing she didn't belong and yet feeling so complete, and she was grateful that her mother understood while indulging her all the same.

Feeling a sharpness in her eyes, Lucina drew away hastily and brushed the back of her hand quickly over them to remove any evidence of her tears. The last thing she wanted was to worry her mother further over her melancholy, especially after feeling so at ease during their conversation. The quiet but pleasant moments were too rare, much too rare, and Lucina had no intention of allowing a sad mood to ruin them. The scenery was far too beautiful for that, and she wanted to wholeheartedly enjoy every single minute that she had. "Thank you, Mother... Truly. Thank you."

"There's no need for that, Lucina." Skye scolded her gently, but there was no heat, no sharpness in her voice. She was content, sensing that he storm that was so often raging within her daughter's young body had stilled, if only for the night. The young navy-haired princess was allowing her age to show, was being a teenager instead of a soldier, or a princess, and Skye couldn't be happier to see it. It wasn't often that her guard was let down so completely, and Skye almost found herself hoping that the night would last forever, if only so her daughter would never have to worry about being anything else ever again. "You don't need to thank me for anything."

An impish smile curled at Lucina's lips at her mother's words, and though she knew that if she followed the sudden surge of mischief that she likely would start a war she could not win... She couldn't resist the urge. She had been the butt of the joke ever since arriving at the hot springs, whether it was Morgan's smooth lies sending her running to Inigo, or her mother sidestepping her worry and dumping water on her head to keep the conversation from being brought up again. As she judged her surroundings with a keen eye, Lucina then remarked offhandedly as her grin spread, "Then perhaps I should apologize instead..."

"Apologize? What do you-" Skye asked with a raised eyebrow, but she had no more time to ask what for as she caught sight of the evil glint in her daughter's eyes. Lucina shoved her with a wicked laugh, sending her sprawling from the edge of the spring and into the water with a loud and shocked oath before she had a chance to prepare herself. Skye came up spluttering, spitting out water and staring up in astonishment, but Lucina was laughing herself fit to burst, clearly delighted with having finally taken the upper hand after being at her mercy almost all night.

Never one to take a blow lying down, yet still grudgingly impressed that Lucina had managed to do it, Skye shook her head while trying her best to fight her own giggles. Knowing exactly how she could get her revenge, Skye smirked up into her daughter's laughing face, making sure to keep her hands below the water and out of sight as she commented dangerously, "Okay, so that's how you want to play, is it...? That's fine... Just remember that you picked this battle, not me."

"I'm aware." Lucina replied fearlessly, but almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized she had chosen the wrong thing to say. Skye was grinning at her like a cat who had just pounced upon a canary, but it was simply too late to retreat, and her fighting spirit would never allow for it. As the dark-haired tactician approached, she realized the danger she was in with her legs still in the water, but she couldn't withdraw before Skye had her hands on her ankles and was yanking hard. "Whoa!"

The princess tumbled into the water with a shout of laughter, and the moment she surfaced, Skye was ready, and splashed her full in the face. Cursing and spluttering through uncontrollable giggles, Lucina returned the blow promptly, and it took little else before the two were fully engaged in a no-hold's-barred water war. Their mingled battle cries, curses and laughter echoed over the springs and into the cold night, and for a brief but joyous moment, there was nothing standing between the girl from the future, and the woman with no memories of her past. They were simply a mother and daughter, enjoying one another's company, and showing their love to each other with a playful warmth that meant more then any whispered word or gentle hug could ever truly convey.

"You will not stop me!"

"Really?! Don't underestimate your mother, kiddo! _This _is how it's done!"

**AN:**

**Hey. You. Yeah, you with the face. You know who you are. This is for you. I hope it does what it was intended, and that's put a smile on your face. You've been busy (worryingly so), but you've always had time for me lately, and that means a lot. This started out as a fun surprise gift for you, but it really turned into a, "Thanks-for-putting-up-with-my-shit" thing, so... I hope you enjoyed it. I know how much you love these two nerds, after all. Consider this both a thank you, and an I love you, okay? You mean the world to me, and it's been a very long time since I felt this eager to run online and see someone daily. :3**

**Ahem, so on with the author's note. This was written for someone very dear to me, after a conversation that was meant to originally just be a pick-me-up. It eventually morphed into a full fic after I started having way too much fun with the idea, and well... Yeah, this is what happened. XD I know I promised a SeveraxOwain, but I wanted to finish this one first, and, well... I really have a thing for LucinaxMother stories. There is so much potential for Lucina and her mother of choice, and seeing as Skye just screams out this, "I love you, but I will kick your ass if need be!" vibe, well... Yeah, this happened.**

**Plus, if Skye and Anna got to go at it in the springs, why the hell can't Skye and Lucina have a friendlier grudge match after having some serious mother-daughter bonding time? -laughing fit- So, yes, I was in the mood for mother-daughter fluff, and though it's been done to death, I just cannot stop myself from doing it. And now I'm tempted to do some mother-daughter fluff with Severa and Cordelia, and Tiki and Morgan... Who knows, maybe that will show up in the future? I have a poll up on my profile, so between TCOC updates, I will try my best to continue with oneshots. Please swing on by and give a vote so I can have an idea of what I should maybe consider working on next, okay?**

**PS: It's four AM... So this is probably a very big mess. I swear I'll fix it... after I get some sleep. XD**

**Mood: Bouncy.**

**Listening To: "World So Cold" - 12 Stones.**

**~ Sky**


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